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IC 


8909 



Bureau of Mines Information Circular/1983 



Historical Summary of Coal Mine 
Explosions in the United States, 1959-81 



By J. K. Richmond, G. C. Price, M. J. Sapko, 
and E. M. Kawenski 




UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 



Information Circular 8909 



Historical Summary of Coal Mine 
Explosions in the United States, 1959-81 



By J. K. Richmond, G. C. Price, M. J. Sapko, 
and E. M. Kawenski 




UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
James G. Watt, Secretary 

BUREAU OF MINES 
Robert C. Norton, Director 



As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior 
has responsibility icx most of our nationally owned public lands and natural 
resources. This includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water re- 
sources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the environmental and 
cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and providing for 
the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses 
our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is 
in the best interests of all our people. The Department also has a major re- 
sponsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who 

live in Island Territories under U.S. administration. 

ir? 







This publication has been cataloged as follows: 



Historical summary of coal mine explosions in the United States, 
1959-81. 

(Information circular / United States Department of the Interior, 
Bureau of Mines) ; 8909- 

Bibliography: p. 21-22. 

1. Mine explosions— United States— History. 2. Coal mines and 
mining— UnitedStates — Accidents. I. Richmond, J. K. (James Kenneth). 
II. Series: Information circular (United States. Bureau of Mines) ; 
8909. 



T-N^295Te4 [TN313] 363. 1' 19622334'0973 82-600256 



For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 
Washington, D.C. 20402 



PREFACE 

; This report is a sequel to Bulletin 586, which summarized 148 years of 

* coal mine explosions up to 1958. Although it was impossible to repro- 

"^i duce the drama and depth of the 1959 report, the present authors attempt 

"> to follow the same format, so that the reader will have a continuous 

"i^ record for another 23 years. 

Even though the frequency and severity of major coal mine explosions 
have been reduced dramatically since the early days, problems remain and 
the threat still hangs over the heads of the miners and operators. For 
example, 28 miners were killed in 3 explosions in December 1981 and Jan- 
^ uary 1982, too late for the accidents to be fully reviewed. 

Included in this summary are analyses of the causes of ignition and 
explosions (to the extent known), and a brief review of how modern min- 
ing methods have changed the nature of hazards encountered and how safe- 
ty research and enforcement of safety regulations have contributed to 
the reduction of disasters. Also included are brief reviews of the Fed- 
eral mine health and safety acts of 1969 and 1977, with an estimate of 
how these laws have affected the coal mine explosion problem. The Mine 
Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has increased safety in mines by 
more frequent and more thorough inspections, and by assessment of more 
severe penalties for noncoiiq>llance with safety regulations. Hopefully, 
hazards can be reduced still further through current research at the 
Bureau of Mines and by its research contractors. 



CONTENTS 

Page 

Preface 1 

Abstract 1 

Introduction 2 

Acknowledgments 2 

Major explosions, 1959-81.... 2 

Analysis of 18 major explosions of 1959-81 15 

The Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 15 

The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 17 

How new mining methods have changed the nature of hazards 17 

Research being conducted to correct problems 18 

Suppression of Ignitions and explosions 18 

Methane detection 18 

Coal dust hazard detection 18 

Prevention of f rlctlonal Ignition 19 

Methane drainage 19 

Research on explosives 19 

Conclusions 20 

Final note 21 

References 21 

Appendix 23 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

1. Explosion area, Phillips and West Coal Co., No. 1 Mine, Robblns, TN, 

March 23, 1959 3 

2. Explosion area. Viking Mine, Terre Haute, IN, March 2, 1961 4 

3. Explosion area, Blue Blaze Coal Co., Mine No. 2, Herrln, IL, January 10, 

1962 5 

4. Explosion area, Robena No. 3, Carmlchaels, PA, December 6, 1962 6 

5. Explosion area, C. L. Kline Coal Co., No. 2 Mine, near Robblns, TN, 

May 24, 1965 7 

6. Explosion area, Slltex Mine, Mt. Hope, WV, July 23, 1966 9 

7. Explosion area, River Queen Mine No. 1, Greenville, KY, August 7, 1968... 10 

8. Detail of River Queen Mine 10 

9. Explosion area, Flnley Coal Co., Nos. 15 and 16 Mines, Hyden, KY, 

December 30, 1970 11 

10. Detail of explosion area, Flnley Coal Co., No. 15 Mine 11 

11. Detail of explosion area, Flnley Coal Co., No. 16 Mine 11 

12. Explosion area, Itmann No. 3 Mine, Itmann, WV, December 16, 1972 12 

13. Explosion area, Scotia Mine, Whltesburg, KY, March 9 and 11, 1976 13 

14. Explosion area, Dutch Creek Mine, Redstone, CO, April 15, 1981 14 

A-1. Number of f rlctlonal ignitions and associated injuries and fatalities per 

year, 1959-80 23 

A-2. Number of nonf rlctlonal ignitions and associated injuries and fatalities 

per year, 1959-80 23 

A-3. Number of minor ignitions and explosions by cause, 1959-80 24 

TABLES 

A-1. Ignitions and explosions, 1959-68 25 

A-2. Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 32 

A-3. Ignitions and explosions classified by cause, 1959-68 46 



ii 

TABLES — Continued 

Page 

A-4. Summary of injuries by cause, 1959-68 46 

A-3. Summary of fatalities by cause, 1959-68 47 

A-6. Ignitions and explosions classified by cause, 1969-80 47 

A-7. Summary of injuries by cause, 1969-80 48 

A-8. Summary of fatalities by cause, 1969-80 48 

A-9. Frictional and/or methane ignitions in surface facilities, 1959-79 49 



HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF COAL MINE EXPLOSIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1959-81 

By J. K, Richmond, ^ G. C. Price, ^ M, J, Sapko, ^ and Et M, Kawenski ^ 



ABSTRACT 

This Bureau of Mines publication presents investigators' reports of all 
major coal mine explosion disasters that occurred in the United States 
from 1959 through November 1981, along with a brief analysis of common 
factors in these disasters. The report reviews the Federal mine health 
and safety acts of 1969 and 1977, and discusses how implementation of 
these acts has reduced the number of both fatalities and disasters. 
Current Bureau health and safety research is summarized, and an appendix 
lists most of the ignitions and explosions in the period of record. 

^Supervisory research physicist/ Pittsburgh Research Center, Bureau of Mines, 
Pittsburgh, PA. 

^Mining engineer. Safety Technology Center, Mine Safety and Health Administration, 
Pittsburgh, PA. 

^Research chemical engineer, Pittsburgh Research Center, Bureau of Mines, Pitts- 
burgh, PA. 

^Chief, Industrial Safety Division, Safety Technology Center, Mine Safety and 
Health Administration, Pittsburgh, PA. (Retired). 



INTRODUCTION 



In 1959-81 there were 20 major explo- 
sions in U.S. coal mines; i.e., explo- 
sions in which 5 or more miners were 
killed. This publication, a sequel to 
Information Circular 7900 (9),^ repre- 
sents a joint effort by the Bureau of 
Mines (BOM) and the Mine Safety and 
Health Administration (MSHA) to include 
in one document both the reports of 18 of 
these accidents and related research and 
supporting information. Two accidents in 
December 1981 and one in January 1982 
occurred too late for their full reports 
to be included. 

Accident reports in general came from 
BOM or MSHA inspectors and/or field in- 
vestigators; BOM technical personnel 
sometimes contributed additional data. 
Most of the reports of the 18 major ex- 
plosions of 1959-81 are printed herein 
verbatim, as a matter of historical rec- 
ord, with occasional comment by the 
present authors, by footnote or in the 
analysis sections. Unfortunately, much 



relevant information, especially in con- 
nection with the largest disasters, is 
not available because of sealing of mines 
or because of litigation and impoundment 
of records by the courts. 

It should be pointed out that the most 
violent explosions (relative to extent 
and property damage) did not necessarily 
cause the most deaths because sometimes 
there happened to be few miners under- 
ground when the explosion occurred. It 
should also be noted that although mech- 
anization has tended to decrease the 
accident rate per ton of coal mined 
(because of higher productivity), it has 
had less effect on the accident rate per 
miner-hour worked. 

All ignitions and explosions provide 
useful and necessary data for safety 
research. This report describes safety 
research that is directed to both long- 
and short-term solutions. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



The authors would like to acknowledge 
the assistance of their colleagues at 
the Bruceton Safety Technology Center of 
MSHA and at the Pittsburgh Research Cen- 
ter of the Bureau of Mines. They would 



also like to pay their respects to H. B. 
Humphrey for his great work on the his- 
torical record of coal mine explosions, 
published in 1959 as Bureau of Mines 
Information Circular 7900. 



MAJOR EXPLOSIONS, 1959-81 



PHILLIPS AND WEST COAL CO. 
NO. 1 MINE 
ROBBINS, TN 
MARCH 23, 1959 - 9 KILLED 
(SEE FIGURE 1) 

The mine was classified non-gassy by 
the Tennessee Division of Mines. 6 Pre- 
shift, on-shaft, and weekly examinations 
for gas and other hazards were not made. 
No flame safety lamps were available at 
the mine. 7 
\ 

^Underlined numbers in parentheses re- 
fer to items in the list of references 
preceding the appendix. 

^BOM classification not available. 



The fan was started each morning short- 
ly before the men entered the mine and 
stopped when the shift was completed. 
This fan was not in operation between the 
completion of the shift on Friday and 
6:40 a.m. Monday; the explosion occurred 
at approximately 7:30 a.m. Eight of the 
inby eleven stoppings in the main entries 
were constructed of brattice cloth and 
three were open. There was also a 32- 
inch opening in one of the permanent 
stoppings 550-feet outby the face of the 
entries. 8 



'A possible consequence 
gassy classification. 
^A source of leakage. 



of the non- 



Shaker conveyor 




out 



1 1 Forces extended (Jj: m f" 

to surf ore ! ' ' 



LEGEND 



- — Intake air 

- — ' Return air 

•^ Direction of forces 

•• Bodies 



He Permanent stopping 
Ijl Check curtain 
— Limits of flame 



FIGURE 1. - Explosion area, Phillips and West 
Coal Co., No. 1 Mine, Robbins, TN, March 23, 1959. 

Methane gas, believed to have been lib- 
erated from a faulted or "pinched" zone 
occurring in rooms adjacent to the active 
working area accumulated during the peri- 
od the mine fan was down. When the fan 
was started, this gas migrated through 
the brattice cloth stoppings and/or open 
crosscuts to the haulage road where it 
was ignited by arcing when the trolley 
wheel of the locomotive left the wire 
or by workers smoking. All nine men 
underground died of burns or toxious gas 
fumes resulting from the gas and dust 
explosion. 

VIKING MINE 

TERRE HAUTE, IN 

MARCH 2, 1961 - 22 KILLED 

(SEE FIGURE 2) 

An air dust explosion, originating near 
the intersection of 4-North Right "B" and 



8-East Right "A" entries in the 4-North 
section of the northwest angles, killed 
22 of 55 workers underground. The flame 
area encompassed most of the 4-North sec- 
tion from the track entries in the mains 
inby 6-East and 7-West, 8-West, 7-East, 
and the face of the mains. Forces oc- 
curred from the mouth to the faces of 4- 
North, a distance of 1500 feet, and 
throughout 6-East, 7-East, 7-West, and 
8-West. All workers in the 4-North sec- 
tion were killed while workers in other 
areas of the mine escaped uninjured. 

The mine was classified gassy. Evi- 
dence showed that the area where the ex- 
plosion originated had encountered sub- 
sidence from the underlying mined out 
Nos. 3 and 4 coal seams. This may have 
increased methane liberation. Coal 
spillage and lack of adequate rockdusting 
in this area added to the severity of the 
explosion. The inby door of the airlock^ 
in the 6-East was removed during material 
recovery operations which would short- 
circuit air from the right side of the 
4-North working section if the remaining 
door at 6-East were latched open. The 
line curtain in 8-East Right "A" was re- 
moved when the continuous miner moved to 
the 4-North Right "B" entry. These con- 
ditions could have permitted methane to 
accumulate. 

Permissible equipment in the active 
faces of the explosion area consisted of 
Jeffrey Colmols and Joy Loading machines; 
nonpermissible face equipment consisted 
of Joy 6SC shuttle cars. However, the 
permissible equipment was not maintained 
in a permissible manner. Smoker's arti- 
cles were listed among the personal ef- 
fects of many of the victims including 
the foreman. Underground employees were 
not searched for smoker's articles before 
entering the mine. Either an electrical 
arc or open flame could have initiated 
this explosion. 

°" stopping with door" on map. 



LEGEND 

Limit of flame 

Limit of forces 

Ventilation 

Direction of forces 

Track 

Bodies 

Stopping with door 

Locomotive 

Empty mine car 

Loaded mine car 

Wooden brattice 
blown out 

Concrete block stopping 

blown out 

Check curtain blown out 




CD □dicuij HD r 




it n <■! Pooca 1 1 U t V M *t- K t I I I I 1 1 f t n t t t ^^,t..f^ ^ %^+^ * 4 4 i o > ) I I It <-i ■ ■ ■'■ _'^ aaa«3' — T dt -♦ — ^^-^ 

h^ " 




Forces 



FIGURE 2. - Explosion area, Viking Mine, Terre Haute, IN, March 2, 1961. 



BLUE BLAZE COAL CO. 

MINE NO. 2 

HERRIN, IL 

JANUARY 10, 1962 - 11 KILLED 

(SEE FIGURE 3) 

The mine went into production on 
July 30, 1961. The main shaft provided 
the only escapeway from the mine. A sec- 
ond shaft, being drilled, was within 74 
feet of breaking through into the coal 
seam at the time of the explosion. 

The mine was not classified as gassy; 
however, all other mines in the Illinois 
No. 6 coal bed in the vicinity were 
classified gassy. Pre-shift and on-shift 
examinations were reportedly made; how- 
ever, no flame^O safety lamp was found in 
the mine after the explosion. 

A set of entries and rooms were driven 
for storage of rock and rubble produced 
while sinking the new shaft. This area 
was abandoned and sealed when it was 



TI) 



Flame safety lamp would have been 



found to be too far to transport the 
rubble. On the day of the explosion, 
one room off 1-North inadvertently cut 
through into the sealed area, thus per- 
mitting methane, which had accumulated 
behind the seals , to enter the mine ven- 
tilation system. 

Mine equipment was relatively new and 
maintained in permissible condition. At 
the time of the explosion, maintenance 
work was being performed in the control 
panel of the shuttle car. Under such 
conditions, it was customary at this mine 
to try equipment with the power on and 
with one person observing the contacts. 
The removal of the enclosure cover would 
provide several gas ignition sources 
which could have and probably did provide 
the primary ignition. Coal dust accumu- 
lations in the section provided fuel for 
widespread propagation. 

Forces of the explosion traveled 
throughout the mine and up the shaft. 
All 11 men in the mine were killed by 
suffocation, burns, and/or forces. 



needed for inspections. 



-Roof falls 



Flame 




150 

_i 



300 

I 



Scale, feet 



'OD □ G D 

i p Q a □ □ □ 

'> p □ D □ D^D 

Seols^ □ 






ocz] DO ezD o Cjcj_^ a n cao^ 

Q C7C7Q I w5c=:34in U C7 o a CD 





^o da CJCJ _^ 

I l ls I i nTl^ lllll l illlll M I I I m il II Klfl li h llllll M llllllil / l IllimW- _) 3E 



oc^oa 






V I i nn III III m ill I II iiiiiiiiiiiii '-^yyi l MTlu — 

-^ c:]\^ a Q [Zi^d] a a 



iT^^rr^rGJ 




2E 
IE 



— Limit of flame 
— - Ventilation 

— Direction of forces 
++++ Track 

• • Bodies 

E_ Fall of cool 



LEGEND 

i™ Locomotive 

1=1 Empty mme car 

Ml Loaded mine car 

'^ Wooden brattice blown out 

:^ Concrete block stopping blown out 

"^ Check curtain blown out 



Note: 

Forces extended throughout the entire mme. 
The greatest forces were near and at the 
bottom of the main shaft. 



FIGURE 3. - Explosion area, Blue Blaze Coal Co., Mine No. 2, Herrin, IL, January 10, 1962. 



ROBENA NO. 3 
CARMICHAELS, PA 
DECEMBER 6, 1962 - 37 KILLED 
(SEE FIGURE 4) 

Two explosions, the first at 1:05 p.m. 
and the second at 1:25 p.m., originated 
near the faces of 8-Left 4-Main entries. 
Thirty-seven miners were killed in the 
first explosion. 

The customary system of development in 
8-Left was to advance entries from the 
return airside of the split toward the 
intake or from left and right toward the 
center. Entries 0, 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9 be- 
ing returns and 3, 4, 5, and 6 intakes. 
To facilitate development of entries at 
90° to 8-Left that would intersect a 
recently sunk shaft (Kirby), the cus- 
tomary system of entry development was 
changed. The intake entries were ad- 
vanced to get the radii driven for track 



and expedite the construction of over- 
casts to permit splitting the air. These 
changes adversely affected the face ven- 
tilation permitting a methane build-up. 
The methane was ignited by an electric 
arc from an open-type fan, car-puller 
motor, fuse, frictional heat, or sparks 
from bits cutting through a clay vein in 
the face of slant between Nos. 7 and 8 
entries. Coal spillage along the shuttle 
car runways , 53 loaded cars , and one par- 
tially loaded car of coal supplied coal 
dust to propagate a widespread explosion. 

COMPASS NO. 2 

DOLA, WV 

APRIL 25, 1963 - 22 KILLED 

The 22 men working in 3-Right area of 
the mine were killed by the explosion. 
All 36 other men in the mine escaped 
uninjured. 



LEGEND 

^^ Check curtain =)f^ Masonry stopping 

— - Intake air • Bodies 

■ — - Return air :^ Overcast 

— Direction of forces ^t^ Metal stopping 
**** Track 



Origin of explosion 




100 



200 



Scale, feet 

FIGURE 4. - Explosion area, Robena No. 3, 
Carmichaels, PA, December 6, 1962. 

Serious and prolonged Interruption of 
the ventilation current permitted an ac- 
cumulation of methane In the working 
faces. An airlock door was found blocked 
open, a check curtain was rolled up and 
wrapped with wire, possibly a man door 
was left open, and stoppings and/or 
curtains removed to facilitate moving 
equipment may not have been replaced. 
Inadequate testing for methane allowed 
the accumulation of methane to remain 
undetected. 11 

The greater part of the permissible- 
type electrical face equipment In the 
mine was not maintained In permissible 
condition. The loading machine was the 
only piece of electrical equipment In 
operation at the working face when the 

l^A common factor in many mine disas- 
ters reported here. 



explosion occurred. The bottom Inspec- 
tion cover was missing from the main 
motor housing of this machine. The com- 
mutator on this motor had high and low 
bars and heavy arcing was indicated at 
the brushes. It is presumed that this 
arcing was the source of the ignition. 

Coal dust picked up from roadway spill- 
age and accumulations at the belt tail- 
piece and transfer points aided in the 
widespread propagation of the explo- 
sion. Satisfactory rockdusting adjacent 
to and outby 3-Panel prevented the fur- 
ther spread at the explosion. 

CARBON FUEL CO. 
NO. 2 MINE 
HELPER, UT 
DECEMBER 16, 1963 - 9 KILLED, 1 INJURED 

This disaster was caused by the igni- 
tion of a body of methane and coal dust 
initiated by frictional heat or sparks or 
by an electrical arc. 

Methane was liberated in the face of 
No. 4 dip entry and accumulated because 
check curtains were not erected; the line 
canvas was poorly constructed and ter- 
minated 36 feet from the face. An in- 
operative water pump on the left side of 
the continuous mining machine permitted 
excessive float dust to collect in the 
return airway. This and coal dust from 
coal being transported on the belt con- 
veyor provided fuel for propagation. 

Possible ignition sources were an elec- 
tric arc from permissible face equip- 
ment with permissibility deficiencies 
or frictional heat or sparks from the 
miner bits rubbing against or cutting top 
rock. 

This explosion points out two common 
weaknesses. In a slightly gassy mine 
enough attention is not given to direct- 
ing the ventilation current to the work- 
ing faces and tests for gas are not made 
frequently enough to determine whether a 
dangerous gas condition is developing. 



C. L. KLINE COAL CO. 

NO. 2 MINE 

(NEAR) ROBBINS, TN 

MAY 24, 1965 - 5 KILLED 

(SEE FIGURE 5) 

An explosion, originating in the face 
area of the left main aircourse, killed 
all five men in the mine. The explosion 
occurred when a methane accumulation was 
ignited by a cigarette lighter. The 
methane was emitted from crevices in the 
roof near the face. 

The mine was classified non-gassy by 
the State. The owner-operator was the 
only one that possessed a flame safety 
lanq). He reportedly made a gas check 
during his pre-shift examination. 

Ventilation was inadequate. The mine 
fan was not capable of supplying air flow 
appropriate to the size of the mine. 
Also, the inby eight stoppings in the 
mains were constructed of brattice cloth 
and the left main aircourse was advanced 



300 feet inby the last crosscut with a 
line curtain terminated 25 feet from the 
face. 

Dust from coal on the conveyors and 
from spillage along the conveyor lines 
entered into the propagation. 

MARS NO. 2 
WILSONBURG, WV 
OCTOBER 16, 1965 - 7 KILLED 

A stripped down continuous miner was 
being trammed into the mine. Rubber con- 
veyor belting was used to insulate the 
miner from the trolley and trolley feeder 
wires. However, the traction pump drive 
of the miner came in contact with the en- 
ergized trolley and/or trolley feeder 
line. The ensuring electric arcing ig- 
nited the belting, coal, hydraulic oil 
and oil lines. Disconnect switches were 
not installed in the trolley and trolley 
feeder lines to permit timely and effec- 
tive deenergizing of the circuit. 



Glenmary coolbed 
36 inches thick 



LEGEND 
Permanent stopping 
Check curtain 
Intake air 
Return air 
Door 



Note" Forces extend to mine portals 




Left main air course- 
FIGURE 5. - Explosion area, C. L. Kline Coal Co., No. 2 Mine, near Robbins, TN, May 24, 1965. 



Two foremen and five workmen inby the 
fire died of asphixiation while a crew 
tramming a miner outby the fire escaped 
uninjured. 

The mine fan was stopped to prevent 
fanning of the fire by the air current. 
It was restarted after 15 to 20 minutes 
because smoke was backing up in the entry 
Shortly after restarting the fan an ex- 
plosion occurred when the distillate by- 
products were coursed over the fire by 
the renewed air currents. 

No atteiq)t was made to short-circuit 
contaminated air from the inby workings. 
Only 2 of 13 self -rescuers found in the 
possession of the 7 victims showed evi- 
dence of attexapts to use them. 12 

DUTCH CREEK MINE 

REDSTONE, CO 

DECEMBER 28, 1965 - 9 KILLED 

A gas and coal dust explosion killed 9 
of 30 workers in the mine. The other 21 
escaped uninjured. 

Face ventilation was interrupted by 20 
to 25 tons of coal piled on the floor by 
the continuous miner. Methane feeders 
were present at the face and a coal bump 
released additional gas. The gas was ig- 
nited either by a blown splice in the 
loading machine cable or by arcing from 
an exposed power conductor in the shuttle 
car cable. The gas ignition propagated''3 
C04I dust from the piled coal or spillage 
along the tramway. 

SILTIX MINE 
MOUNT HOPE, WV 
JULY 23, 1966 - 7 KILLED, 2 INJURED 
(SEE FIGURE 6) 

Methane from feeders and from pillar 
falls was ignited by an electric arc or 

1 ^Oxygen self-rescuer could have saved 
these . 



spark. Coal dust played a very minor 
role in this disaster. Eleven men, 
trapped inby the explosion area, erected 
a barricade and remained behind this bar- 
ricade until rescued about 1-1/2 hours 
later. 

Ventilation in the explosion area was 
insufficient. Poorly constructed tem- 
porary stoppings, no line brattice in 
continuous miner places , lack of a reg- 
ulator on air splits, and lack of a 
bleeder system combined to add to the 
hazard. The foreman was the only person 
on the section with a flame safety lamp. 
Sufficient lamps were not available at 
the mine to provide a lamp for the oper- 
ator of each piece of face electric 
equipment. 

The combination of a damp to wet sec- 
tion, rockdusting, and opened areas for 
explosion expansion inhibited propagation 
and caused the explosion forces to dissi- 
pate rapidly. 

All electric equipment in the area was 
found to be in a non-permissible condi- 
tion. Arcs or sparks at the cable-reel 
collector ring assembly of a shuttle car 
was the igniting agent. The explosion 
originated in the vicinity of the pillars 
being removed near the left edge of the 
map of Figure 6. 

RIVER QUEEN UNDERGROUND MINE NO. 1 
GREENVILLE, KY 
AUGUST 7, 1968 - 9 KILLED, 2 INJURED 
(SEE FIGURES 7 AND 8) 

Permissible explosives, stored on a 
coal drill 45 feet from and in direct 
line with the face, were detonated by 
blasted material expelled from the coal 
face. Coal dust was involved to some 
degree, but propagation was short lived. 
Methane was not a factor. 

1 -^Initiated an explosion in the coal 
dust. 




FIGURE 6. - Explosion area, Siltex Mine, Mt. Hope, WV, July 23, 1966 



CONSOL NO. 9 

FARMINGTON, WV 

NOVEMBER 20, 1968—78 KILLED 

The destruction due to this explosion, 
added to that caused by secondary explo- 
sions for several days afterwards, fol- 
lowed by final sealing of the mine pre- 
vented a conqjlete Investigation and the 
Issuance of an official report. As of 
this writing, 13 years later, some of the 
bodies remain sealed In the mine, with 
the cause of the explosion sealed with 
them. 

The following Information Is from an 
Interview of Lewis Evans, Safety Director 
of the United Mine Workers of America 
(12). The first explosion took place at 
5:30 a.m., November 20. The 21 men who 



escaped came out shortly afterwards. 
Eleven escaped through the slope, two 
came out Atha's Run Portal, and eight 
were lifted by bucket up the Mahan shaft. 
After the explosion destroyed the shaft 
at Llewellyn Portal, fire and smoke 
belched forth, making conditions too haz- 
ardous even to consider putting mine res- 
cue teams Into the mine because of the 
danger of more explosions. 

A succession of recordable explosions 
did take place. As of November 29 there 
had been 24 plus Innumerable smaller 
"pops" and "puffs." Undamaged fans were 
kept running for a while In an effort 
to supply fresh air, but within 2A hours 
large fires developed along with dan- 
gerous levels of carbon monoxide and 
methane. 



10 



' S3. 



LEGEND 

— Approximate limits of flame 
- — Intake air 
— ' Return air 

— Direction of forces 

• Bodies 

• Injured survivor 
o Uninjured survivor 

3C Blown out stopping 
mz Permanent stopping 
in: Temporary stopping 



Conveyor 
■od tie It 




Origin of 
explosion 



Flame 



aoooooooDoo oj^^a o □ c 
o o o o oo Q 05? od a o a c 



200 400 



Scale, feet 



One man uninjured 



FIGURE 7. - Explosion area, River Queen Mine 
No. 1, Greenville, KY, August 7, 1968. 

Another shaft that was damaged by the 
explosion was at Mod's Run. An atteiq)t 
was made to seal the two portals at this 
location with 26 tons of steel and con- 
crete on each shaft in what proved to be 
a vain attempt to cool off the fire. The 
seals were of short duration, being des- 
troyed by subsequent explosions only min- 
utes after placement. 

The Mod's Run portals were later suc- 
cessfully sealed by dumping into each of 
them 500 tons of coarse limestone. This 
amount was put into each shaft, and this 
semiseal held until final decision to 
seal off all of the mine was made. 

Consol No. 9 Mine was among the largest 
in the United States. Its underground 
tunnels extended through the West Vir- 
ginia hills in a space roughly 10 miles 
by 6 miles. It worked three production 
shifts per day, and its crew of 380 men. 







-Origin of 
explosion 

Caved 



•Conveyor 
belt 



50 100 

_l I 



Scale, feet 



• • 



LEGEND 
Intake air 
Return air 
Direction of forces 
Bodies 

Temporary stopping blown out 
Permanent stopping blown out 



FIGURE 8. - Detail of River Queen Mine. 

320 of whom worked underground, produced 
9,500 tons of coal per day. It was a 
very gassy mine, releasing from 7 to 9 
million cubic feet of methane per day. 
Consol No. 9 Mine was located in the 
Pittsburgh coal seam. 

Fourteen years and one week prior to 
this explosion the same mine had blown 
up, killing 16 men (Nov. 13, 1954). Upon 
the present occasion, the mine was sealed 
and partially reopened 6 months later, at 
which time some of the bodies were recov- 
ered. These two blasts were considered 
by some to have been the most violent up 
to that time. The Bureau of Mines had 
inspected this mine 3 months before the 
disaster and the State of West Virginia 
2 weeks before. 



11 



FINLEY COAL CO. 
NOS. 15 AND 16 MINES 
HYDEN, KY 
DECEMBER 30, 1970 - 38 KILLED 
(SEE FIGURES 9-11) 

Coal dust was thrown Into suspension 
and Ignited during the blasting of roof 
rock for a loading point. Excessive 
accumulation of coal dust and Inadequate 
rockdustlng permitted propagation of the 
explosion throughout the mines. 

According to former practices In blast- 
ing boom holes and evidence presented by 
various persons, found during the Inves- 
tigation, It must be concluded that on 
the day of the explosion, 100 or more 
shot holes were drilled Into the roof, 
each charged with one or two cartridges 
of explosives, connected by a trunkllne 
of Prlmacord with short leaders of Prlma- 
cord to each charge with one electric 
detonator held In place with pieces of 
paper and fired by means of a blasting 
cable attached either to a shot-firing 
unit, power cable, or to the battery con- 
nections of a nearby battery-powered 
tractor. 



LEGEND 
• • Bodies 

5 10 



Scale, feet 



-30'- 




50 1b 
explosives 



28' 



^cga (^Sy 



Loaded 
car 



'^^^^^^s__^ji£^^^^^ 



__ faQ 

idQ'do ooao 

]DD"DD OODiD 
^DCDbODd'QD 

)D D □ a D d'O D 

_ _ _ ' '_ -jDO 

SqdcddPciDdODI aD 
^oC30DDaoaaUOa 
XD'DO.a DiDiajD a n d □ Q 
) □ czto D D O D D Cr D D o 

aoDQcan 

DDO0C3O 
ODDoDb 
DQDnDD 

DO 
DO 
OQ 
nn 




aODDDDDnai 
DPaoaaoooaf' 

Q D'D D D O □ D a DiC! 
a C3 D D O'S' D o o a I 
a ooQ( 
Jiaio ji-a cm c 




apo 




ODQoaaaa d*a q g ( 

DaaDDDaDDaaDi 
Odd 000000 aaD( 



DDDOOaDOD 
QQD DODDQQ D 
□ DDD DDOD 

a D Ota D D a a D 

aQQaoDDQa 
p 

Coveyor belt 



LEGEND 

— Intake air HI Permanent stopping 

— Return atr 3EI Permanen'i stopping blown out 

— Direction of forces IZZ Check curtain 

• • Bodies ^ Check curtain blown out 



FIGURE 9. - Explosion area, Finley Coal Co., Nos. 
15 and 16 Mines, Hyden, KY, December 30, 1970. 




Mining v- — -'^- 
machine *f* 

Explosives wagon-' 

No. 6 entry, 2d right 

• (^ Lunch kit 



FIGURE 10. - Detail of explosion area, Finley 
Coal Co., No. 15 Mine. 



Mining 
machine 



23' 




Blasting coble 



Detonator box-^-D 

Coiled / ^ 

blasting cable ^^V^^^ 



■ bi 
(damaged) 



Wagoi 
Detonator box^ 



■28'- 



No. 5 entry 



LEGEND 
• • Bodies 
^^ Miner's hat 



5 10 

■ I I 

Scale, feet 



FIGURE 11. - Detail of explosion area, Finley 
Coal Co., No. 16 Mine. 



12 



Prlmacord was available In a storage 
area on the surface and was found at the 
blast site and other places underground. 
During clean-up of the rock from the 
loading point, only one set of leg wires 
was found. If electric detonators rather 
than Primacord were used to initiate the 
blast, there should have been at least 
100 sets of leg wires in the blasted 
material. Testimony also indicated that 
wads of paper or brattice cloth were used 
to stem holes drilled for loading points. 
(This would constitute an unconfined 
shot. ) 



non-permissible manner. ) In the previous 
August, one man had lost his eyesight, 
and a second suffered cuts and a ruptured 
eardrum, due to the accidental detonation 
of explosives underground. The account 
states that 120 shots were fired in 
blasting a "boom hole" in the roof, even 
though safety regulations permit only 20 
shots to be fired at once. A physician 
found that 31 or 32 had died instantly 
from the blast, and the rest probably 
from carbon monoxide. Thirty four widows 
and 103 children were left to mourn the 
loss. 



The mine was classified non-gassy 
and methane was not a factor in this 
explosion. 

More background information was sup- 
plied by an article "Disaster at Hurri- 
cane Creek" in Popular Mechanics (1). 
Two state inspections and four federal 
inspections during the preceding nine 
months had revealed excessive coal dust 
and other combustible materials, insuffi- 
cient rock dust, and other violations. 
The disaster occurred exactly one year 
after the 1969 Act became law. The coal 
dust explosion was so extensive that dust 
and other materials were expelled from 
all eight openings of the mine. (Non- 
permissible explosives were used in a 



ITMANN NO. 3 MINE 
ITMANN, WV 
DECEMBER 16, 1972 - 5 KILLED, 3 INJURED 
(SEE FIGURE 12) 

This explosion resulted from the igni- 
tion of a methane-air mixture in the 
track-belt entry about 1,000-feet outby 
the working faces. The methane was 
ignited by an electric arc from a portal 
bus being used to transport the section 
crew to the surface. The electric arc 
occurred when the trolley-pole harp lost 
electrical contact with the trolley wire. 
The investigators were of the opinion 
that in addition to the usual methane 
liberation in the entry, excessive pres- 
sure from the adjacent strata released 



Duster 



CABIN CREEK 4-PANEL 




Continuous 
miner 



car 



Flat car 
Feeder 



a 5 

Origin of 
explosion 



LEGEND 

HH Permanent stopping 

JZ Check curtain 

— Intake air 

-—' Return air 

•— Direction of forces 

• Bodies 

® Injured man 



Belt 

Posts ooooooooooooo _ ,, 
f^"="^ -^^ Trolley wire 



! ! ! J ! II Ti ^^ftTnr Track 



• • 



Detail of portal bus 



FIGURE 12. - Explosion area, Itmann No. 3 Mine, Itmann, WV, December 16, 1972. 



13 



additional methane shortly before the 
explosion occurred. 14 of the eight men 
in the portal bus at the time of the ex- 
plosion, five were killed and 3 seriously 
burned. 

This was primarily a methane explosion 
and coal dust entered into propagation 
only to a minor degree. 

SCOTIA MINE 
WHITESBURG, KY 
MARCH 9, 1976 - 15 KILLED 
MARCH 11, 1976 - _n KILLED 
26 KILLED 
(SEE FIGURE 13) 

Because of the controversial nature of 
some aspects of this disaster and the 
lack of publication of an official ac- 
count, we will confine this account to 
information included in a report pub- 
lished by the House Education and Labor 
committee, and a Grand Jury charge. 

Two explosions occurred within 60 hours 
of each other, both apparently originat- 
ing from ignitions of methane, although 
the mine had not been considered exces- 
sively gassy. It had been producing 
about 250,000 cubic feet of methane per 
day. Both explosions are considered to 
have originated in the No. 2 Southeast 
mains. Two mining locomotives were in 
the area, both equipped with battery- 
operated air compressors. There were al- 
so two methane "feeders" in this area. 
Nine men were killed almost instantly by 
the explosion on March 9, and six more 
survived for a while by taking refuge in 
No. 2 left off 2-Southeast, but were 
eventually overcome. In about 18 hours, 
rescue teams had recovered all bodies. 

Mine Enforcement and Safety Administra- 
tion (MESA) inspectors determined that a 
roof fall had occurred over a track en- 
try, so roof bolters were called in, in 
order that further inspection could pro- 
ceed. On March 11, in mid-afternoon, a 
13-man crew entered, including 3 Federal 
inspectors and 10 company employees. 

^^Perhaps there was evidence of an 
outburst. 



Then the second explosion occurred, and 
all but the two roof bolters were killed. 
The second explosion was more severe 
than the first, apparently originating 
about 2,000 feet from the origin of the 
first explosion. About 12 hours later, 
the rescue team found the 11 bodies, but 
was withdrawn without removing them be- 
cause of imminent danger of another ex- 
plosion. The mine was sealed, to be 
opened approximately a year later. 

The Labor Standards Subcommittee of the 
House Education and Labor Committee pub- 
lished a report charging the Scotia Coal 
Co. with responsibility for the first 
explosion and MESA for the second. The 
No. 2 Southeast main had not been fire- 
bossed prior to the entry of the two lo- 
comotives; apparently inadequate ventila- 
tion prevailed in this section. Similar 



Left Panel 




FIGURE 13. - Explosion area, Scotia Mine, 
Whitesburg, KY, March 9 and 11, 1976. 



14 



hazardous conditions existed prior to 
the second explosion. The above report 
was reviewed in Coal Age (^)» Later, 
Coal Age (_5) reported Grand Jury charges 
that the disaster was caused by the lack 
of adequate ventilation in all sections, 
failure to fire boss, and submission of 
false records. The Blue Diamond Coal 
Co. (owner of the mine) has sued MESA 
for responsibility for mine damage due 
to the second explosion, and widows of 
the first explosion were suing Blue 
Diamond. 

FERRELL MINE NO. 17, WESTMORELAND 
COAL CO. 
BOONE COUNTY, WV 
NOVEMBER 7, 1980—5 KILLED 

The following account was taken from 
newspaper reports and from Coal Age (6^) 
Five men, all maintenance workers, were 
removing track in an unused portion of 
the mine about 1 mile away from any other 
work crew when the explosive occurred. 
Another 70 men working in different parts 
of the mine escaped without injury. The 
blast resulted from an ignition of meth- 
ane in the presence of inadequate venti- 
lation. A spark from a "locomotive-type" 
vehicle the men used to get to their 
workplace may have set off the explosion, 
according to a con5)any representative. 
The blast was so strong it blew large 
cinder blocks 150 feet and overturned a 
conveyor belt several hundred feet away. 
Apparently, the men were killed instant- 
ly. After the explosion, toxic or nox- 
ious gases, including methane, hampered 
rescue, so that a day passed before the 
bodies were reached. 

DUTCH CREEK NO. 1 MINE 
MID CONTINENT RESOURCES CO. 
REDSTONE, CO 
APRIL 15, 1981—15 KILLED 
(SEE FIGURE 14) 

The blast occurred at about 4:15 P.M. 
MST, when 22 men were in the mine. 
Three men came out uninjured, four were 
slightly injured, while the remaining 
15 were killed, almost instantly, when a 
coal dust, methane-air mixture was ig- 
nited after a bump occurred at the work- 
ing face. The same mine was the scene of 



LEGEND 
— Limit of flame 
mz Permanent stoppings 
:5t Overcasts 

Tracit 

Bodies 




Flame 



Belt entry 

FIGURE 14. - Explosion area, Dutch Creek 
Mine, Redstone, CO, April 15, 1981. 

an explosion that killed nine men on 
December 31, 1965. 

Within 38 hours after the explosion all 
15 bodies had been removed. The working 
areas were reached by a 15-degree slope 
which was partially flooded by water when 
the blast knocked out power to the pumps. 
The location of the blast was about 7,000 
feet from the mine portal. The mine had 
been considered very gassy. A recent re- 
port by MSHA listed the following con- 
tributing factors: 

1. Large amounts of methane and coal 
dust were dispersed over wide areas by 
the bump. 

2. Face ventilation was disturbed by 
the destruction of brattice by the coal 
outburst. 

3. The methanometer in the continuous 
miner located near the face of the 102 
longwall entry shut off the main power 
to the machine but not to the lighting 
circuit. 



15 



4. The lighting circuit had been de- 
energized by throwing its two-pole switch 
to off. 

5. The switch enclosure was later de- 
termined to be a non-permissible condi- 
tion by virtue of a wire being caught 
under the lid. There was evidence of a 
flame propagating out of this enclosure 
so the latter is assumed to have been the 
ignition source. 

6. Three of the six victims in the 
immediate face area of the 102 Section 



died as a result of concussive blast 
injuries, two as a result of carbon mon- 
oxide poisoning, and one as a result of 
a combination of concussive blast in- 
juries and carbon monoxide poisoning. 
The two victims near the shuttle car 
further outby in the 102 Section died as 
a result of concussive blast injuries 
caused by the explosion. The victim in 
the face of the No. 2 entry of the 102 
section, and all six men in the Slope 
Section died as a result of carbon monox- 
ide poisoning. 



ANALYSIS OF 18 MAJOR EXPLOSIONS OF 1959-81 



Eighteen major explosions are reported 
here, mostly verbatim from inspector's 
reports, often with only speculation as 
to the cause. Twelve were apparently 
caused by the electrical ignition of 
methane-air mixtures in areas where the 
normal ventilation had been seriously in- 
terrupted in the process of mining or 
transport. In most of these cases, coal 
dust contributed to the explosion. When 
methane is present, very much more rock 
dust is required to inert the coal dust; 
so much more, in fact, that such protec- 
tion is very unlikely. To increase the 
incombustible content from 65% to 80%, 
more than twice as much rock dust is re- 
quired. Even the 65% value required by 
law has a very small safety factor when 
considerable float dust is present. A 
mixture containing 70% incombustible with 
80% of the coal passing through 200 mesh 
will propagate a strong explosion in a 
mixture of Pittsburgh pulverized coal 
dust (36% volatile matter) and rock dust 
(20). Although Richmond ( 20 ) listed sur- 
veys indicating that the fineness of coal 
dust has been increasing over recent 
years, chiefly as a result of the use of 



continuous mining machines and longwall 
systems, regulations have not been 
changed to reflect this new situation. 
In some cases, supposedly permissible 
equipment was not so, or ignitions oc- 
curred outby the last open crosscut, 
where permissible equipment was not 
required. 

Two explosions occurred as a direct 
result of a methane outburst, during 
attempts to ventilate the large quantity 
of gas, but nonpermissible or defective 
electrical equipment ignited the gas. 

In one case, fuel-rich fumes from a 
fire were recirculated over the fire 
(improper ventilation) and ignited. Two 
disasters resulted from the improper use 
of explosives underground, resulting in 
the direct ignition of dust clouds, in 
the absence of methane. Damage resulting 
from the worst disaster at Consol No. 9 
was so severe that no cause could be 
reported, but the mine was gassy, so one 
might assume that improper ventilation 
was a major contributing factor. 



THE FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969 (PUBLIC LAW 91-173)15 



In the preamble to Public Law 91-173, 
Congress declared that the first priority 

l^safety Act passed December 30, 1969, 
but Part 75, Mandatory Safety Standard - 
Underground Coal Mines, was not published 
initially in the Federal Register until 
November 20, 1970. 



and concern of all in the coal mining in- 
dustry must be the health and safety of 
its most precious resource — the miner; 
that there is a need to provide safer 
working conditions in the Nation's coal 
mines and to prevent occupational dis- 
eases; and that the existence of unsafe 
and unheal thful working conditions is a 



16 



serious Impediment to the growth of the 
mining industry and to the growth of 
commerce. 

The purpose of this act was to estab- 
lish interim mandatory health and safety 
standards, by direction to the Secretary 
of Health, Education, and Welfare, and 
Secretary of the Interior; to require 
operators and miners to comply with such 
standards; to cooperate with and assist 
the States in setting up health and safe- 
ty programs; and to improve and expand 
research, development, and training pro- 
grams aimed at preventing coal mine acci- 
dents and occupationally caused diseases. 

Among the many impacts this law has had 
are the following: 



1, Established an advisory 
on coal mine health research. 



committee 



before and after December 31, 1972. 
Title V included a significant section 
requiring the Secretary of the Interior 
and the Secretary of Health, Education, 
and Welfare to conduct research to im- 
prove working conditions regarding both 
safety and health, to publish reports, 
etc. To assist with this research, the 
Secretaries may enter into contracts 
with, and make grants to, public and pri- 
vate agencies and organizations and indi- 
viduals. Information so developed shall 
be available to the general public. 
Funds were appropriated to carry out this 
research — $20 million for the fiscal year 
ending June 30, 1970; $25 million for the 
fiscal year ending June 30, 1971; and 
$30 million for the fiscal year ending 
June 30, 1972, and for each succeeding 
fiscal year thereafter. The actual ap- 
propriations in fiscal years 1974-79 fol- 
low, in millions: 



2. Established right of entry into 
mines, with frequent entry. 

3. Conferred power to issue withdrawal 
orders, with appeals, reviews, etc., upon 
finding that imminent danger exists. 

4. Empowered the Secretary to issue 
injunctions in case of refusal to comply 
with orders. 



5. Established 
penalties. 



civil and criminal 



6. Established interim health stan- 
dards , including those for respirable 
dust, medical examinations, and noise. 

7. Established interim safety stan- 
dards covering roof support, ventilation, 
methane monitoring, combustible materi- 
als and rock dusting, electrical equip- 
ment, trailing cables, grounding, high-, 
medium-, and low-voltage circuits, fires, 
blasting and explosives, etc. 

An important section (title IV) dealt 
with black lung (pneumoconiosis) benefits 



FY 74 


- $27.1 


FY 75 


- $27.5 


FY 76 


- $29.2 


Transition 


- $ 7.5 


FY 77 


- $29.2 


FY 78 


- $40.9 


FY 79 


- $47.8 



Among the immediate Impacts of this act 
were increases in the number of coal mine 
inspectors and in the frequency of in- 
spection; and a large Increase in the 
amount of health and safety research, 
both in-house and by contract, resulting 
in many new techniques, devices, and sys- 
tems to improve health and safety, along 
with more mandatory and advisory regula- 
tions. Training programs expanded rapid- 
ly, and the Coal Mine Health and Safety 
Academy was established in Beckley, WV, 
in 1971. 

In the 10 years following the passing 
of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safe- 
ty Act of 1969, the number of major ex- 
plosions was only one-third of that in 
the previous 10 years, and there were two 
4-year periods with no major explosions. 



17 



THE FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT OF 1977 (PUBLIC LAW 95-164) 



The following paragraphs summarize 
Public Law 95-16A with eiiq>hasis on its 
modifications to the Federal Coal Mine 
Health and Safety Act of 1969 (Public 
Law 91-173). 

The purpose of the act of 1977 is the 
same as that of the act of 1969, except 
it includes all other mines, as well as 
coal mines. The Federal Metal and Non- 
metallic Mine Safety Act and the Federal 
Coal Mine Safety Act are repealed. Sec- 
tion 405 of the act of November 16, 1973, 
Public Law 95-153 is repealed. "Coal or 
other mine" includes areas from which 
minerals are extracted in nonliquid form, 
or if in liquid form, are extracted with 
workers underground. 

An Interim Conqiliance Panel of five 
members is established. The Secretary of 
the Interior shall appoint an advisory 
committee on coal or other mine safety 
research, and the Secretary of Health, 
Education, and Welfare shall appoint an 
advisory committee on coal or other mine 
health research. The Secretary of the 
Interior is authorized to institute civil 
action for relief, including injunc- 
tions, for violations or interference 
by operators with enforcement of this 
act. Penalties have been increased for 



violations. The Federal Mine Safety and 
Health Review Commission is established, 
consisting of five members, appointed by 
the President by and with the advice and 
consent of the Senate. 

Provision is made in this act for man- 
datory health and safety training of min- 
ers using both initial and refresher 
courses. Regulations include dust from 
drilling rock, and restricting quartz 
content to 5%. More details are pro- 
vided to regulations concerning roof sup- 
port, ventilation, combustible material, 
electrical equipment and circuits, fire 
protection, blasting and explosives, etc. 
More funds were authorized for research. 

The Secretary or his/her delegate is 
required to make inspections of each 
underground coal or other mine in its 
entirety at least four times a year and 
of each surface coal or other mine in 
its entirety at least two times a year. 
Amendments include a definition of exces- 
sive quantities of methane to be 1 mil- 
lion cubic feet during a 24-hour period. 
The Mine Safety and Health Administration 
(MSHA) is created, and is transferred to 
the Department of Labor, headed by an 
assistant Secretary of Labor. 



HOW NEW MINING METHODS HAVE CHANGED THE NATURE OF HAZARDS 



Mining of coal by explosives has dimin- 
ished to such an extent that ignition of 
dust or gas by permissible explosives 
when properly used is very rare. The 
only documented exception of recent date 
is the Finley disaster of 1970, in which 
nonpermissible explosives were used. But 
the advent of the continuous miner as 
well as longwall mining produced hazards 
of their own. These techniques tend to 
produce more fine dust, which is a hazard 
to both health and safety. As the tables 



show, there has been an enormous increase 
in frictional ignitions of methane, usu- 
ally resulting when the bits struck sand- 
stone or pyrites. 

As deeper seams are mined the methane 
content tends to increase, requiring 
larger fans and greater fan pressure. 
Current methane drainage techniques may 
not work owing to low porosity, lack of 
fracture, and high friability. 



18 



RESEARCH BEING CONDUCTED TO CORRECT PROBLEMS 



SUPPRESSION OF IGNITIONS AND EXPLOSIONS 

Problem ; Most coal mine explosions 
originate with ignitions of methane at 
the face. At greater distances from the 
face, explosions sometimes propagate in 
spite of considerable rock dusting. 

Short-Term Research ; As required by 
the 1969 act, the Bureau of Mines con- 
ducted research on suppression of igni- 
tion at the face U, JU^, r7, ^i) ^^^ 
funded a contract to equip a mining ma- 
chine with such a system (10). The goal 
was to quench incipient ignition of meth- 
ane at the face before noticeable pres- 
sure and flame can develop. This re- 
quired a sophisticated combination of 
fast detection and efficient quenching. 
Unfortunately, the system has not found 
practical application. 

Long-Term Research ; More extensive re- 
search has involved passive and triggered 
barriers to suppress explosion of gas 
and/or dust which has developed consid- 
erable flame speed and pressure. Much of 
this research is based on European tech- 
nology already in practice. A detailed 
description of the performance of stone 
dust barriers, water barriers, and trig- 
gered barriers in Polish and German mines 
may be found in chapter 9 of Professor 
Cybulski's book (7^). Passive water bar- 
riers were tested extensively in the Bu- 
reau's Experimental Mine at Bruceton, 
based on devices developed by the Federal 
Republic of Germany (13). Modifications 
were invented to cope with very low speed 
explosions which might defeat the con- 
ventional device (14). For general use, 
as well as for special applications, 
triggered barriers were tested, using a 
variety of materials, with sophisticated 
sensors which had to respond rapidly to a 
real danger while remaining alert in the 
presence of false alarms (15). Conveyor 
beltways are especially vulnerable to ex- 
plosion hazards, so a special task was 
devoted to that problem (16). More re- 
cent research has been directed toward 
suppression of methane ignition at a 
longwall face. Such work necessarily 



involves triggered barriers, with large 
stored energy and fast response. 

METHANE DETECTION 

Short-Term Research ; An accurate per- 
missible methanometer has been made 
available (an improvement over the flame 
safety lamp), but requires the tedious 
checking of all working areas, which 
takes time and is all too frequently 
neglected. 

Long-Term Research ; The automatic re- 
mote sensing of methane involves fail- 
safe procedures including the use of tube 
bundles strategically located, with a re- 
mote gas analyzer (^, 8^); local fixed gas 
sensors or machine-mounted sensors con- 
nected electrically to a remote alarm or 
recorder; and an infrared Raman scatter- 
ing remote methanometer. The latter is 
still in the laboratory research stage. 
Remote detection reduces the hazard of 
local measurements and provides the op- 
portunity for much more accurate analysis 
than is possible with hand-held devices. 

COAL DUST HAZARD DETECTION 

Problem; Coal dust explosions can oc- 
cur if there are adequate deposits of 
fine coal dust inadequately inerted with 
rock dust. 

Short-Term Research ; Grab sampling 
followed by laboratory analysis is an 
acceptable technique for hazard detec- 
tion, but the response time is very slow. 

Long-Term Research ; A device has been 
designed and built to provide a remote 
readout in real time of dust depositions 
in a mine. The system is con^josed of a 
diaphragm whose natural frequency changes 
as dust is deposited on it. The dia- 
phragm is electromagnetically excited, 
and the frequency is read remotely on a 
separate device. The instantaneous mea- 
surement of incombustible content of mine 
dust in place has been made possible by 
another device eii5)loying absorption of 
nuclear radiation. 



19 



PREVENTION OF FRICTIONAL IGNITION 

Problem ; Frictional ignition due to 
the action of continuous miners on rock 
inclusions shows great potential for 
causing gas explosions. 

Short-Term Research : Frictional igni- 
tion is considerably reduced by a low- 
volume water spray mounted in back of the 
cutting bits and impacting the freshly 
cut sandstone surface. This result was 
shown by tests conducted in large cham- 
bers containing methane-air mixtures and 
full-size cutter bits impacting on sand- 
stone blocks. 

Long-Term Research ; Long-range re- 
search, both in-house and by contract, 
has been devoted to metallurgical inves- 
tigations into a nonsparking tool bit and 
to bit shape design and mounting proce- 
dures intended to minimize sparking. Re- 
ducing cutter speeds also tends to reduce 
incendive sparking. 

METHANE DRAINAGE 

Problem; Most coal seams contain meth- 
ane which is released upon mining, caus- 
ing a severe explosion hazard. 

Short-Term Research ; The conventional 
method is to ventilate the methane as 
quickly as it is released so that explo- 
sive concentrations are never formed ex- 
cept when sudden outbursts occur. 

Long-Term Research ; This long-range 
research program has involved a number of 
projects with objective as follows: 

1. To establish by means of data ob- 
tained in mine and laboratory studies the 
stratigraphy, lithology, and geologic 
structure conditions that contribute to 
the high and low concentrations of meth- 
ane in coalbeds; to determine the pecu- 
liar composition of gases occurring in 
coal and associated rocks and the factors 
that influence the migration and reten- 
tion of methane in coalbeds and associ- 
ated strata; to develop procedures to 
predict the probability of encountering 
coalbed discontinuities. 



2. To test and refine the various 
technologies previously developed to con- 
trol methane in advance of mining in 
order to make them applicable by the coal 
mining industry. These include horizon- 
tal holes from shaft bottoms and from 
multipurpose boreholes, vertical bore- 
hole degasification, and directional 
drilling from surface locations (19). 
(Vertical borehole technology is effec- 
tive, but expensive.) 

RESEARCH ON EXPLOSIVES 

In spite of the reduced use of explo- 
sives in the underground mining of coal, 
ignitions of gas or of coal dust by the 
use of explosives sometimes occur. The 
data included in this report indicate 
that about 15% of both the number of 
major disasters and the number of miners 
killed were the results of the improper 
use of explosives. Research in a number 
of areas, listed below, is designed to 
reduce the explosive hazard potential. 
This information was kindly furnished by 
J. E. Hay, Research Supervisor of the 
Explosives Group of the Bureau's Pitts- 
burgh Research Center. 

Problem; Criteria for permissibility 
sometimes give ambiguous results. 

Research ; Several tests are required 
for permissible status (inability to ig- 
nite methane). A new proposed test 8 is 
intended to be a replacement for one of 
them — test 4. The primary advantage of 
test 8 is that it is more quantitative, 
yielding more information than test 4 on 
the incendivity of an explosive relative 
to other explosives. 

Problem; Leaky water stemming bags can 
cause loss of stemming in the borehole 
with consequent ejection of hot detona- 
tion products and the possibility of 
ignition. 

Research: New tests for leakage and 
fragility were devised for water stemming 
devices. 

Problem : Loose hanging roof and large 
boulders can only be broken down either 



20 



manually or with machinery, involving 
loss of efficiency and long exposure of 
personnel to hazardous conditions, or the 
temptation to use unsafe (and illegal) 
forms of blasting. 



Research: Nonincendive rock 



breakers 
built-in 



were developed, containing a 

sheath of inhibiting material, such that 

gas is not ignited. 

Problem ; Some explosives are sensitive 
to accidental impact by friction, etc. 

Research: New permissible explosives 
(water gels and emulsions) are less 
sensitive. 

Problem : Tests have shown that the 
detonators are the most sensitive com- 
ponent to accidental initiation which 



might result from inadvertent drilling 
into misfired holes or encountering mis- 
fired explosives in mucking. 

Research : Development of less sensi- 
tive detonators has reduced this problem, 
and nonincendive detonating cords would 
give a safe alternative to electrical 
initiation, which is susceptible to pre- 
mature initiation by stray currents, 
lightning, etc. 

Problem : Several instances have oc- 
curred in which ignitions have resulted 
from burning explosives being ejected 
from a borehole. 

Research : Determination of why and un- 
der what circumstances this occurs is im- 
portant to specify ways to avoid it. 



CONCLUSIONS 



In the past 23 years, deaths due to 
coal mine explosions have been reduced 
considerably, conqpared with the previous 
23 years — from 1,674 in 1936-58, inclu- 
sive, to 335 in 1959-81, inclusive. 
Greater volume of air required at face, 
canvas or tubing required closer to face, 
restriction on tenqjorary splices in 
trailing cables, the requirement for per- 
missible electrical equipment to be used 
inby the last open crosscut, and the 
gradual transition from dc to ac power 
systems for mine machinery are the main 
reasons for drop in the number of disas- 
ters and the number of fatalities. 

New and improved techniques in mining, 
designed to increase productivity, often 
substitute new problems for old, so that 
safety research must continue to advance, 
to cope with the new problems. Also, 
many disasters are the result of gross 
negligence and violation of known safety 
rules, and safety research designed to 
reduce disasters of this nature becomes 
very expensive, because such research 
focuses on developing "fail safe" de- 
vices that will function in the presence 
of human failures. Overall, however, 
economical laboratory research, close- 
ly correlated with the more expensive 



full-scale fire and explosion research, 
contributes much to the safety achieved 
per dollar available. Contract research 
has allowed Government programs to draw 
upon the expertise of industry, and tech- 
nology transfer programs have been devel- 
oped to transmit research results to min- 
ing industry representatives and thus to 
the mines. 

Frictional ignitions may be expected to 
attract attention for some time, al- 
though, fortunately, disasters are infre- 
quent in the presence of adequate venti- 
lations. Figure A-1 in the appendix 
graphs the number of frictional ignitions 
and associated injuries and fatalities 
per year during most of the 1959-81. De- 
tails of these incidents will be found in 
tables A-1 to A-8. Figure A-2 graphs 
similar data for nonfrictional ignitions; 
details of these incidents will also be 
found in tables A-1 to A-8. Classifica- 
tion of the causes of minor ignitions is 
graphed in figure A-3. It will be seen 
that continuous miner bits cause far more 
ignitions than all other causes combined. 
To complete the story, frictional igni- 
tion, gas ignitions, and dust ignitions 
in surface facilities are listed in 
table A-9. 



FINAL NOTE 



21 



During the final preparation of this 
report, three more major explosions oc- 
curred in coal mines in Appalachia. On 
December 8, 1981, an explosion killed 
eight miners in the Adkins Coal Co. Mine 
No. 18, in Topmost, Ky. On the next day, 
13 miners were killed in an explo'sion in 
the Dogwood Flats Mountain Coal Mine 
of the Grundy Mining Co. , a subsidiary 
of the Tennessee Consolidated Coal Min- 
ing Co. This mine is located near Pal- 
mer, TN. Forty-three miners survived the 
explosion, which occurred when one of the 
victims used a cigarette lighter in 
an explosive methane-air mixture that 
accumulated as a result of inadequate 
ventilation in 003 section. 

Yet another explosion occurred on Jan- 
uary 20, 1982, in RFH Mining Co. 's Mine 



No. 1 in Floyd County, Ky. Seven miners 
were killed in this blast, which appar- 
ently resulted from the ignition of gas 
and coal dust by blasting. Investigators 
concluded that the explosion originated 
in the No. 5 room of the 001 section. 
Coal dust was ignited by flames from the 
explosives when the developing crosscut 
between the Nos. 5 and 6 rooms was shot 
through into the No. 5 room. Flames from 
the explosives were not contained within 
the limits of the coal being shot owing 
to a blown-out or a blown-through shot. 
Flame and/or major forces of the explo- 
sion propagated from the face area of the 
No. 5 room, traversed the entire mine, 
and traveled to the surface. Surface 
facilities that were in direct line of 
the forces coming out of the mine were 
extensively damaged. 



REFERENCES 



1. Bacon, S. Disaster at Hurricane 
Creek. Popular Mechanics, v. 136, No. 4, 
October 1971, pp. 85-89, 201-202. 

2. Burgess, D. S., W. F. Donaldson, 
A. F. Furno, J. M. Kuchta, and C. R. Sum- 
mers. Spatial and Temporal Distributions 
of Halon 1301 From a Commercial Extin- 
guisher. BuMines RI 7515, 1971, 17 pp. 

3. Burgess, D. S., and H. Hayden. A 
Carbonmonoxide Index Monitoring System in 
an Underground Coal Mine. Trans. AIME, 
V. 200, 1976, pp. 312-318. 

4. Coal Age. Kentucky Molds Safety 
Law; Scotia Probes Go On. V. 82, January 
1977, p. 19. 



5. 



Scotia Criminal Trial Set 



for Fall. V. 84, August 1979, p. 29. 



6. 



Explosion Kills Five Min- 



ers in Southern West Virginia. V. 85, 
December 1980, p. 21. 

7, Cybulski, W. Coal Dust Explosions 
and Their Suppression. (translated from 



Polish). Published for the Bureau of 
Mines, U.S. Department of the Interior, 
and the National Science Foundation, 
Washington, DC, by the Foreign Scientific 
Publications Department of the National 
Center for Scientific Technical and Eco- 
nomic Information. Warsaw, Poland, 1975, 
583 pp. 

8. Hertzberg, M. , and C. D. Litton. 
Multipoint Detection of Products of 
Combustion With Tube Bundles. Transit 
Times, Transmissions of Submicrometer 
Particulates, and General Applicability. 
BuMines RI 8171, 1976, 40 pp. 

9. Humphrey, H. B. Historical Sum- 
mary of Coal Mine Explosions in the 
United States. BuMines IC 7900, 1959, 
275 pp.; Bull. 586, 1960, 280 pp. 

10. Jamison, W. B. , and H. Hadi. Ig- 
nition Suppression Device (Contract 
H0122020 with Consolidation Coal Com- 
pany). BuMines Open File Rept. 129-76, 
August 1976, 251 pp.; NTIS PB 261-292/AS. 



22 



11. Kawenski, E. M, , J. Nagy, and 
J. W. Conn. Further Development of an 
Explosion Quenching Device. Pres. at 
Internat. Conf. of Safety in Mines Re- 
search, Tokyo, Japan, Nov. 20-25, 1969; 
available for consultation at Pitts- 
burgh Research Center, Bureau of Mines, 
Pittsburgh, PA. 



17. Murphy, E. M. , D. W. Mitchell, and 
E. M. Kawenski. Stopping Explosions at 
the Working Face. Pres. at 80th Ann, 
Meeting, Coal Min. Inst, of America, 
Pittsburgh, PA, Dec. 15-16, 1966, avail- 
able for consultation at Pittsburgh 
Research Center, Bureau of Mines, 
Pittsburgh, PA. 



12. Lauck, R. Most Violent Explosion 
Traps 78 Miners. United Mine Workers 
Journal, v. 79, Dec. 1, 1968, pp. 3, 
8-11. 

13. Liebman, I., and J. K. Richmond. 
Suppression of Coal Dust Explosions by 
Passive Water Barriers in a Single-Entry 
Mine. BuMines RI 7815, 1974, 34 pp. 



18. Nagy, J. The Explosion Hazard in 
Mining. Mine Safety and Health Adminis- 
tration IR 1119, 1981, 69 pp. 

19. Prosser, L. J., Jr., G. L. Finfin- 
ger, and J. Cervik. Methane Drainage 
Study Using an Underground Pipeline, 
Marianna Mine 58. BuMines RI 8577, 1981, 
29 pp. 



14. Liebman, I., J. Corry, and J. K. 
Richmond. Water Barriers for Suppressing 
Coal Dust Explosions. BtiMines RI 8170, 
1976, 26 pp. 



20. Richmond, J. K. , I. Liebman, and 
L. F. Miller. Effect of Rock Dust on 
Explosibility of Coal Dust. BuMines 
RI 8077, 1975, 34 pp. 



15. Liebman, I., J. K. Richmond, R. 
Pro, R. Conti, and J. Corry. Triggered 
Barriers for the Suppression of Coal 
Dust Explosions. BuMines RI 8389, 1979, 
24 pp. 

16. Liebman, I,, and J. K. Richmond. 
Suppression of Coal Dust Explosions by 
Water Barrier in a Conveyor Belt Entry. 
BuMines RI 8538, 1981, 27 pp. 



21. Summers, C. R. , and F. H. Scott. 
Investigation of Two Types of Quenching 
Systems. Internal Report, BuMines Pitts- 
burgh Mining and Safety Research Center, 
Aug. 5, 1970; available for consultation 
at Pittsburgh Research Center, Bureau of 
Mines, Pittsburgh, PA. 



APPENDIX 



23 



100 



CD 



3 
Z 



1 \ I I \ \ \ 1 \ 1 r 



TZZT — r 




^ 



1959 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 

FIGURE A-1. - Number of frictional ignitions and associated injuries and 
fatalities per year, 1959-80. 



100 




1959 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 



FIGURE A-2. - Number of nonfrictional ignitions and associated injuries 
and fatalities per year, 1959-80. 



24 



590 



580 



L^. 



80- 



70- 



60- 



cr 

Ixl 
CD 

5 50 

13 
Z 



40 



30 



20 



10- 



Ld 



^ 



VtT- 



A 



z 



21 



v; 



'z 



p; 



::^ 



^10 



/ 






.v---' 



.^'^ 



P^' C-f r^ cf o.^ ^t^ ^0<^^ ^<^^ ^°° ^^^^ O^ ^° 



o"' <cr o^" c;^' <??' v~ N>' ■^' "?-" ^^' cr 

FIGURE A-3. - Number of minor ignitions and explosions by cause, 1959-80. 



25 



KEY FOR TABLES 



= Anthracite 



CM = Frictional ignition from continuous miner bits 

Cut. = Frictional ignition from cutter bits 

C/W = Cutting and/or welding 

Drill = Frictional ignition by roof drill bits 

Elec. = Electrical arc 

Expl. = Explosive 

F = Fatalities 



FSL 

I 

LW 

OF 

ONF 



= Defective flame safety lamp 

= Injuries 

= Longwall bits 

= Other frictional 

= Other nonf rictional 

= Multiple entries — report lists more than one possible cause of ignitions, and 
incident is listed under each. This accounts for discrepancy in adding 
columns and total. 

= Cause unknown or not yet specified 

TABLE A-1. - Ignitions and explosions, 1959-68 



Date 



Mine 

Loveridge 

do 

#7 (Peerless) , 

#5 (Pitfair) , 

Nelms ■ 

in (Phillips & West) 

Robena 

Peca Shaft 

Buck Mountain Slope.... 

Lake Superior #3 

Colver 

#27 Island Creek 

Compass #2 

Moss #3 

Dutch Creek 

Lancashire #15 

Compass #2. 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



01/29/59 
02/05/59 
02/06/59 
03/02/59 
03/18/59 
03/23/59 
04/16/59 
04/22/59 
05/05/59 
06/01/59 
06/04/59 
06/27/59 
06/22/59 
06/23/59 
08/15/59 
08/20/59 
08/31/59 



WV 

WV 

WV 

WV 

OH 

TN 

PA 

PA (A) 

PA (A) 

WV 

PA 

WV 

WV 

VA 

CO 

PA 

WV 



0-1 
0-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-9 
1-0 
1-0 
2-0 
0-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 



FSL 

Cut. 

Elec. 

Expl. 

Elec. 

Elec. 

CM 

FSL 

Elec. 

Elec. 

CM 

Elec. 

Cut. 

FSL 

C/W 

Elec. 

Cut. 



26 



TABLE A-1. - Ignitions and explosions, 1959-68 — Continued 



Date Mine 

10/08/59 #64 Slope (S&M) 

10/09/59 Nelms , 

10/20/59 Buckhorn #2 , 

11/04/59 #2 (Preston) , 

12/11/59 Shannopin , 

12/21/59 Wildwood 

01/03/60 Colver 

02/22/60 Nelms #1 , 

03/01/60 Jensie 

05/17/60 Marianna #58 , 

07/06/60 #4 & 6 Slopes (Zerbe)... 

07/12/60 Nelms #2 , 

07/20/60 Bessie 

08/16/60 Dorothy Mae #7 , 

08/23/60 "A" #1 , 

08/26/60 Compass #2 , 

09/11/60 Olga #1 , 

10/27/60 Dutch Creek 

11/04/60 Enoco Colliery 

11/05/60 #3 Rock Slope 

11/08/60 Lucerne #3 , 

12/07/60 #1 Slope (Mason Herd)... 

12/22/60 Wharton #3 , 

12/28/60 Phillips #1 , 

01/04/61 Scover & Slater Slope... 

01/13/61 Dutch Creek 

01/16/61 Enoco Colliery 

01/17/61 O'Donnell #2 

01/21/61 #19 (Wanamie) 

02/16/61 Marianna #58 , 

03/02/61 Viking 

04/13/61 Burnwell #1 

04/17/61 Itmann #1 , 

04/18/61 Osage #3 , 

05/08/61 Day 

05/09/61 #16 (O'Quinn) 

05/16/61 Moss #2 , 

05/29/61 #5 (Omar) 

05/30/61 #2 (C.B. & H.) 

07/25/61 Glen Rodgers #2 , 

07/29/61 #5 (Phillips) 

08/03/61 Lynn Camp #1 , 

08/28/61 Holmes Slope , 

10/07/61 #2 Lykes Slope , 

10/17/61 Dome 

10/20/61 Nelms #1 , 

10/26/61 Lancashire #15 , 

11/24/61 Marianna #58 , 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



PA (A) 

OH 

IL 

VA 

PA 

PA 

PA 

OH 

OH 

PA 

PA (A) 

OH 

AL 

VA 

KY 

WV 

WV 

CO 

IN 

PA (A) 

PA 

PA (A) 

WV 

WV 

PA (A) 

CO 

IN 

WV 

PA (A) 

PA 

IN 

CO 

WV 

WV 

IN 

VA 

VA 

WV 

WV 

WV 

Va 

VA 

PA (A) 

PA (A) 

WV 

OH 

PA 

PA 



2-0 
0-0 
3-0 
2-0 
0-0 
0-0 

0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
2-0 
0-0 
2-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-1 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-1 
3-0 
0-2 

1-0 

0-0 

3-0 

0-0 

3-0 

0-0 

0-22 

1-0 

2-0 

5-1 

1-1 

0-0 

1-0 

1-2 

1-0 

1-0 

2-1 

0-0 

3-0 

1-0 

1-0 

0-0 

4-0 

0-0 



FSL 

CM 

Elec. 

Smoking 

CM 

Drill 

Elec. 

Elec. 

Cut. 

Cut. 

Elec. 

CM 

CM 

ONF 

ONE 

C/W 

Elec. 

Elec. 

CM 

Elec. 

Cut. 

Elec. 

ONF 

Smoking 

Elec. 

Elec. 

CM 

CM 

FSL 

CM 

Elec. ONF 

Smoking ' 

CM 

CM 

Smoking 

ONF 

C/W 

Elec. 

Smoking 

C/W 

ONF 

ONF 

Elec. 

Elec. 

Elec. 

Cut. 

CM 

CM 



27 



TABLE A-1. - Ignitions and explosions, 1959-68 — Continued 



Date 



Mine 



11/18/61 
12/12/61 
12/14/61 

01/10/62 
01/11/62 
02/02/62 
02/05/62 
02/07/62 
04/04/62 
04/09/62 
05/24/62 
06/06/62 
06/12/62 
07/12/62 
08/07/62 
08/09/62 
08/31/62 
09/07/62 
09/28/62 
10/02/62 
10/23/62 
10/25/62 
11/12/62 
11/15/62 
11/21/62 
11/29/62 
12/06/62 
12/14/62 
12/24/62 

01/04/63 
01/04/63 
01/08/63 
01/14/63 
01/29/63 
01/29/63 
02/04/63 
03/03/63 
03/13/63 
03/20/63 
04/08/63 
04/12/63 
04/16/63 
04/17/63 
04/25/63 
04/25/63 
05/14/63 
05/27/63 
07/17/63 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



#3 (Virginia City), 

Federal #1 

#2 & #3 Slopes.... 



#2 (Blue Blaze)..., 

#6 (Pound) , 

Nelms #2 , 

Glen Burn Colliery, 

do , 

#2 (Wilroe) , 

Middle Split Slope. 

Shannopin , 

Loyal , 

#3 (Fields Creek)., 

#131 Slope , 

Banning #3 , 

#1 (Grimsleyville). 

Wattis #2 , 

do 

Moss #3 , 

Robena , 

Dekoven , 

Kenilworth , 

Skidmore Slope...., 

Marianna #58....... 

#5 



Top Split Mammoth Seam. 

Robena 

Lancashire #15 

Emerald 



do 

Maple Creek 

Moss #2 

#40 Slope 

Glen Burn Colliery. 

Moss #2 , 

Skidmore Slope. . . . , 

Itmann #3 , 

Oakwood , 

Bird #3 , 

#4 Acton , 

Moss #3 , 

Forger Slope , 

Bird #3 , 

Conqiass #2 , 

do , 

Moss #3 , 

Geneva , 

#3 (Grace) , 



VA 
WV 
PA (A) 

XL 

VA 

OH 

PA (A) 

PA (A) 

WV 

PA (A) 

PA 

PA 

WV 

PA (A) 

PA 

VA 

UT 

UT 

VA 

PA 

KY 

UT 

PA (A) 

PA 

VA 

PA (A) 

PA 

PA 

PA 

PA 

PA 

VA 

PA (A) 

PA (A) 

VA 

PA (A) 

WV 

WV 

PA 

AL 

VA 

PA (A) 

PA 

WV 

WV 

VA 

UT 

KY 



0-0 
4-0 
1-0 

0-11 

0-0 

2-0 

1-0 

2-0 

0-0 

1-0 

0-0 

5-0 

0-1 

0-0 

0-0 

1-0 

0-0 

0-0 

1-0 

2-2 

0-1 

0-0 

1-0 

0-0 

4-0 

2-0 

0-37 

0-0 

0-0 

1-0 

1-0 

0-0 

2-0 

3-1 

0-0 

2-0 

0-0 

1-0 

0-0 

2-0 

0-0 

8-4 

2-0 

1-0 

0-22 

1-0 

0-0 

0-0 



ONF 

CM 

Elec. 

Elec. 

Expl. 

CM 

Expl. 

Expl. 

Drill 

Smoking 

? 

Elec. 

Elec. 

ONF 

Elec. 

Smoking 

Cut. 

Cut. 

Elec. 

Rock fall 

Elec. 

CM 

Elec. 

CM 

Smoking 

Elec. 

CM/Elec. 

Rock fall 

CM 

CM 

Cut. 

CM 

Smoking 

Expl. 

Elec. 

FSL 

? 

ONF 

CM 

Elec. 

OF 

Elec. 

CM 

Elec. 

Elec. 

Elec. 

Expl. 

ONF 



28 



TABLE A-1. - Ignitions and explosions, 1959-68 — Continued 



Date Mine 

07/18/63 Mathies 

07/23/63 Nelms #2 

08/07/63 Moss #2 

08/08/63 do 

08/13/63 Kenilworth 

08/17/63 Itmann #3 

08/21/63 Maple Creek 

08/26/63 Lancashire #15 

09/16/63 Mathies 

09/27/63 Drifton #1 

10/12/63 Moss #2 

10/14/63 Compass #2 

10/15/63 Robena 

10/24/63 do 

10/31/63 Ernest #3 

1 1/04/63 Gateway 

11/06/63 do 

11/11/63 Dutch Creek 

12/16/63 #2 (Carbon Fuel) 

01/15/64 Westwood Slope 

02/03/64 Dutch Creek 

02/03/64 Sednarczyk #2 & 3 Slopes. 

02/24/64 Moss #2 

02/26/64 Ireland 

02/28/64 do 

03/01/64 Crescent 

03/1 1/64 Marion 

03/19/64 7 South Main 

05/07/64 Bird #3 

05/08/64 Moss #2 

05/26/64 Dutch Creek 

06/11/64 Diamond Slope 

06/16/64 Compass #3 

06/24/64 Moss #2 

06/24/64 G'Donnell #1 

07/15/64 Ruber Colliery 

07/17/64 #2 (Goodspring) 

07/20/64 Robena 

07/27/64 Concord #1 

07/30/64 #2 (Alabama Rod Ash)..... 

08/05/64 Robena 

08/18/64 Moss #2 , 

08/19/64 #9 Vein South Main Slope, 

09/03/64 Dekeven #6 , 

09/15/64 Gateway , 

09/28/64 #6 (Island Creek) , 

10/03/64 Nelms #2 , 

10/05/64 Dutch Creek , 

10/07/64 Lady Dunn #107 , 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



PA 


0-0 


Elec. 


OH 


0-0 


CM 


VA 


0-0 


CM 


VA 


0-0 


CM 


UT 


0-0 


C/W 


WV 


2-0 


Elec. 


PA 


0-0 


Cut. 


PA 


1-0 


CM 


PA 


0-0 


Elec. 


PA (A) 


2-0 


FSL 


VA 


0-0 


Elec. 


WV 


1-0 


CM 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


PA 


0-0 


Expl. 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


CO 


9-0 


CM 


UT 


1-9 


CM/Elec. 


PA (A) 


1-0 


OF 


CO 


0-0 


Elec. 


PA (A) 


1-3 


Expl. 


VA 


0-0 


Cut. 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


PA 


0-0 


Cut. 


PA 


0-0 


C/W 


KY 


0-0 


CM 


PA 


1-0 


CM 


VA 


0-0 


CM 


CO 


0-0 


Elec. 


PA (A) 


3-0 


C/W 


WV 


0-0 


Drill 


VA 


0-0 


Cut. 


WV 


4-0 


CM 


PA (A) 


2-0 


Smoking 


PA (A) 


2-0 


Smoking 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


AL 


0-0 


Cut. 


AL 


2-0 


Elec. 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


VA 


0-0 


CM 


PA (A) 


2-0 


Expl. 


KY 


1-0 


CM 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-3 


Elec. 


OH 


2-0 


CM 


CO 


0-0 


Elec. 


WV 


3-0 


Elec. 



29 



TABLE A-1. - Ignitions and explosions, 1959-68 — Continued 



Date Mine 

10/14/64 //9A (Marvin) , 

10/17/64 Westland , 

11/02/64 Lancashire #15 , 

1 1/07/64 Colver , 

1 1/09/64 Beatrice , 

11/20/64 Itmann #3 , 

12/03/64 Concord #1 , 

12/07/64 #19 (Wonamie) , 

12/11/64 Gateway , 

12/16/64 #116 Slope , 

12/29/64 Moss #3 , 

01/07/65 Sunnyside #3 , 

01/25/65 Middle Split Slope , 

01/26/65 Bird #3 , 

02/03/65 Dekeven #6 , 

02/11/65 #5 (Horn & Whited) , 

02/18/65 Clyde , 

02/18/65 #217 Slope , 

02/26/65 Delmont lOB , 

03/03/65 Moss #2 , 

03/03/65 Pleasant View , 

03/16/65 #2 (Carbon Fuel) , 

03/25/65 Osage #3 , 

03/31/65 Beatrice , 

04/13/65 Keystone #1 , 

04/28/65 Moss #2 , 

04/30/65 Llaellen Slope , 

05/24/65 #2A (C.L. Kline) , 

06/03/65 Robena , 

06/08/65 Tracy Slope 

06/24/65 Lancashire #15 , 

06/24/65 Loveridge , 

07/06/65 #3 Slope 

07/06/65 Pandora , 

07/16/65 Dekoven #6 , 

08/06/65 #5 (Pilgrim Knob) 

08/15/65 Sunnyside #1 , 

08/27/65 Moss #2 , 

09/27/65 do , 

10/16/65 do , 

10/20/65 Compass #3 , 

11/08/65 Flat Top , 

11/19/65 Hillsboro , 

11/29/65 Keystone #1 , 

11/29/65 #11 (Pennington Gap)..., 

12/15/65 Keystone #1 , 

12/16/65 Brule #4 , 

12/21/65 Bishop , 

12/23/65 do 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



VA 




0-0 


ONF 


PA 


(A) 


0-0 


Elec. 


PA 




2-0 


CM 


PA 




0-0 


Elec. 


VA 




0-0 


CM 


WV 




1-0 


CM 


AL 




0-0 


Cut. 


PA 


(A) 


5-0 


Expl. 


PA 




0-0 


CM 


PA 


(A) 


1-0 


Elec. 


VA 




0-0 


Elec. 


UT 




0-0 


C/W 


PA 


(A) 


3-0 


Elec. 


PA 




1-0 


CM 


PA 




1-0 


CM 


VA 




2-0 


Smoking 


PA 




0-0 


CM 


PA 


(A) 


1-0 


FSL 


PA 




1-0 


CM 


VA 




0-0 


CM 


KY 




0-0 


OF 


UT 




1-0 


CM 


WV 




0-0 


CM 


VA 




0-0 


CM 


WV 




4-0 


Elec. 


VA 




0-0 


CM 


WV 




1-4 


Elec. 


TN 




0-5 


Smoking 


PA 




0-0 


CM 


PA 


(A) 


0-0 


Elec. 


PA 




4-0 


CM 


WV 




1-0 


CM 


PA 


(A) 


2-0 


FSL 


IN 




0-0 


Elec. 


KY 




2-0 


CM 


VA 




1-0 


Smoking 


UT 




1-0 


Elec. 


VA 




1-0 


CM 


VA 




1-0 


CM 


WV 




0-7 


ONF 


WV 




1-0 


CM 


AL 




1-0 


Elec. 


IL 




0-0 


CM 


WV 




1-0 


CM 


VA 




2-0 


Elec. 


WV 




1-0 


CM 


WV 




1-1 


Elec. 


WV 




0-0 


CM 


WV 




1-0 


CM 



30 



TABLE A-1. - Ignitions and explosions, 1959-68 — Continued 



Date Mine 

12/28/65 Dutch Creek 

01/24/66 Dekeven #6 , 

01/25/66 #19 (Wonamie) , 

01/28/66 Shannopin , 

01/29/66 do , 

02/11/66 #1 Lykens Vein Slope..., 

02/12/66 Gateway , 

03/02/66 Burnwell #1 , 

03/11/66 Dekeven #6 , 

03/28/66 Arkwright #1 , 

04/19/66 Moss #2 , 

06/01/66 Beatrice , 

06/13/66 Shannopin , 

06/20/66 #1 (Kermit) , 

06/23/66 Robena , 

07/20/66 #2 Dutch Creek , 

07/23/66 Siltix , 

08/04/66 Concord #1 , 

08/12/66 Warwick #2 , 

08/31/66 Ruber Colliery , 

09/01/66 #3 & 4 Carrelton , 

10/06/66 Ireland , 

10/27/66 Stanaford #2 

11/04/66 Concord #1 , 

11/07/66 #5 (Wade) , 

1 1/30/66 Beatrice , 

12/02/66 Moss #2 , 

12/14/66 Concord #1 

12/14/66 #1 Dutch Creek , 

12/26/66 Lancashire #24 

01/10/67 Mathies 

01/24/67 Virginia Pocahontas #1., 

01/24/67 Zeni-McKenney-Williams., 

01/30/67 Joanne 

02/02/67 Nelms #2 

02/07/67 Jamison #1 

03/06/67 Beatrice 

03/10/67 Concord #1 

03/30/67 Compass #2 

04/03/67 Moss #2 

04/19/67 #32 (Bethlehem) 

05/12/67 Gateway 

06/01/67 do 

06/14/67 Dekeven #6 

06/20/67 Rose Valley #6 

06/22/67 #1 (Island Creek) 

06/29/67 Osage #3 

07/06/67 Humphrey #7 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



CO 

KY 

PA (A) 

PA 

PA 

PA (A) 

PA 

CO 

KY 

WV 

VA 

VA 

PA 

WV 

PA 

CO 

WV 

AL 

PA 

PA (A) 

WV 

WV 

WV 

AL 

VA 

VA 

VA 

AL 

CO 

PA 

PA 
VA 
VA 
WV 
OH 
PA 
VA 
AL 
WV 
VA 
PA 
PA 
PA 
KY 
OH 
WV 
WV 
WV 



0-9 

0-0 
4-0 
0-0 
5-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-3 
1-0 
4-0 
1-0 
3-0 
0-0 
2-0 
4-0 
0-0 
2-7 
0-0 
0-0 
2-0 
2-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
3-0 
0-0 

0-0 
4-3 
5-3 
4-2 
0-0 
6-0 
3-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
1-0 
2-0 
3-0 
0-0 



Elec. 

Expl. 

Elec./Expl. 

CM 

CM 

Elec. 

CM 

Elec. 

Expl. 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Smoking 

Rock fall 

CM 

Elec. 

Cut. 

Elec. 

Smoking 

Elec. 

CM 

FSL 

Cut. 

Elec. 

Elec. 

CM 

Cut. 

CM 

Elec. 

Elec. 

Elec. 

Elec. 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Cut. 

CM 

Rock fall 

C/W 

CM 

CM 

Cut. 

Elec. 

Smoking /ONF 

CM 

CM 



TABLE A-1. - Ignitions and explosions, 1959-68 — Continued 



31 



Date Mine 

07728767 #1 (Princess Coak) , 

08/10/67 Moss #2 , 

08/17/67 Forge Slope , 

08/18/67 Robena , 

09/06/67 #7 (Hern & Whited) , 

09/23/67 Robena , 

09/27/67 Lancashire #15 , 

10/10/67 Ireland , 

10/17/67 Compass #2 , 

10/17/67 #32 (Bethlehem) , 

10/17/67 Buck Slope , 

11/17/67 Dekoven #6 

1 1/27/67 Gateway ., 

11/28/67 Compass #3 , 

1/ 13/68 Gateway , 

01/20/68 Jamison , 

01/22/68 West Gulf #5 , 

01/24/68 #6 (Pearly) , 

02/08/68 Clyde , 

02/22/68 Sunnyside #1 , 

04/09/68 Vesta #5 , 

05/08/68 Virginia Pocahontas #1., 

06/23/68 Choctaw , 

06/25/68 do , 

07/05/68 Howe #1 , 

07/10/68 Concord #1 , 

07/15/68 Mars #2 , 

07/19/68 Howe #1 

07/24/68 Slab Fork #8 , 

07/26/68 Howe #1 , 

07/30/68 do , 

08/02/68 #8 (Allen Fork) , 

08/07/68 River Queen , 

08/27/68 Ireland , 

08/30/68 Moss #2 

09/12/68 Nelms #2 

09/18/68 Auger , 

10/03/68 Howe #1 , 

10/21/68 1 Middle Split Slope , 



State 



I-F 



Cause 

Smoking /Elec. 
Rock fall 
Rock fall/ 

Smoking . 
CM 

Elec. 
C/W 
CM 
CM 
CM 

Elec. 
Smoking 
C/W 
CM 
CM 

CM 

7 

Elec. 

C/W 

CM 

Elec. 

CM 

CM 

C/W 

ONF 

CM 

Expl. 

FSL 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Smoking 

Expl. 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Smoking 



KY 
VA 
PA (A) 

PA 

VA 

PA 

PA 

WV 

WV 

PA 

PA (A) 

KY 

PA 

WV 

PA 
WV 
WV 
VA 
PA 
UT 
PA 
VA 
OK 
OK 
OK 
AL 
WV 
OK 
WV 
OK 
OK 
KY 
KY 
WV 
VA 
OH 
WV 
OK 
PA (A) 



0-4 
0-0 
2-0 

0-0 
6-0 
0-0 
4-0 
0-0 
3-0 
0-0 
1-0 
4-0 
0-0 
3-0 

0-0 

0-. '■:' 

2-0 
1-2 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
2-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
3-0 
0-0 
8-0 
0-0 
0-0 
3-0 
2-9 
0-0 
2-0 
0-0 
1-1 
2-0 
1-0 



32 



TABLE A-2. - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 



Date Mine 

01/08/69 #10 (Slab Fork) , 

02/06/69 Howe #1 , 

02/12/69 Robena , 

02/13/69 #1 Dutch Creek , 

03/19/69 Howe #1 , 

04/28/69 Robinson Run #95 

04/29/69 #2 (Carbon Fuel) , 

05/23/69 Concord #1 , 

05/26/69 Gateway , 

06/05/69 Blacksville #1 , 

06/09/69 Gateway , 

06/10/69 Lambert Fork , 

06/10/69 Keystone 3B , 

07/23/69 Skidmore Slope , 

07/24/69 Atrian , 

07/30/69 Howe #1 , 

07/30/69 Zeigler #9 , 

08/13/69 Loveridge , 

08/13/69 Concord #1 

08/18/69 Virginia Pocahontas #1... 

09/02/69 Forge Slope , 

09/05/69 Joanne 

09/05/69 Badger #14 , 

09/09/69 Federal #2 , 

09/19/69 Howe #1 , 

10/15/69 Moss #2 , 

11/10/69 Howe #1 

11/18/69 #2 (Carbon Fuel) , 

11/18/69 Howe #1 

11/15/69 Concord #1 

12/01/69 #1 Cedar Grove , 

12/11/69 Concord #1 

12/23/69 Maple Creek , 

01/06/70 Moss #2 

01/07/70 #1 Cedar Grove , 

01/20/70 Howe #1 

01/23/70 Eagle #2 , 

01/29/70 South Dip Skidmore Slope, 

01/30/70 Howe #1 

02/04/70 do , 

02/25/70 Blacksville , 

02/27/70 #18 (Wonamie) 

03/05/70 Forge Slope 

03/05/70 Seggo #2 

03/25/70 #31 (Carbon Fuel) , 

03/30/70 Vesta #5 

04/02/70 Compass #3 , 

04/03/70 Vesta #5 , 

04/08/70 Joanne 

04/10/70 Homer City , 

04/13/70 Loveridge 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



wv 




3-0 


Elec. 


OK 




0-0 


CM 


PA 




0-0 


CM 


CO 




0-0 


Elec. 


OK 




0-0 


CM 


WO 




0-0 


C/W 


UT 




0-0 


CM 


AL 




0-0 


Expl. 


PA 




0-0 


CM 


wv 




0-0 


CM 


PA 




0-0 


CM 


VA 




2-0 


CM 


WV 




5-0 


Elec. 


PA 


(A) 


6-1 


Elec. 


WV 




2-0 


Smoking 


OK 




0-0 


CM 


KY 




1-0 


FSL 


WV 




0-0 


CM 


AL 




0-0 


Cut. 


VA 




3-0 


CM 


PA 


(A) 


4-0 


Expl. 


WV 




3-0 


CM 


WV 




0-0 


Elec. 


WV 




0-0 


CM 


OK 




0-0 


CM 


VA 




1-0 


CM 


OK 




0-0 


CM 


UT 




0-0 


CM 


OK 




0-0 


CM 


AL 




0-0 


Cut. 


WV 




0-0 


Cut. 


AL 




0-0 


Cut. 


PA 




0-0 


CM 


VA 




1-0 


CM 


WV 




0-0 


Cut. 


OK 




0-0 


CM 


XL 




2-0 


CM 


PA 


(A) 


2-0 


Expl. 


OK 




0-0 


CM 


OK 




0-0 


CM 


WV 




0-0 


Elec. 


PA 


(A) 


3-0 


Expl./ONF 


PA 


(A) 


4-0 


FSL 


AL 




1-0 


C/W 


WV 




1-0 


C/W 


PA 




0-0 


CM 


WV 




0-1 


Elec. 


PA 




0-0 


CM 


WV 




0-0 


CM 


PA 




3-1 


CM 


WV 




0-0 


CM 



33 



TABLE A-2. - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 — Continued 



Date 



Mine 



04/17/70 
04/17/70 
04/29/70 
05/15/70 
05/22/70 
06/02/70 
06/05/70 
06/12/70 
06/13/70 
07/05/70 
07/06/70 
07/08/70 
07/15/70 
07/15/70 
07/20/70 
08/11/70 
08/13/70 
08/17/70 
08/28/70 
09/02/70 
09/10/70 
09/30/70 
10/12/70 
10/13/70 
10/17/70 
10/26/70 
10/26/70 
10/28/70 
10/29/70 
11/02/70 
11/05/70 
11/19/70 
11/30/70 
11/30/70 
12/18/70 
12/30/70 

01/19/71 
02/01/71 
02/03/71 
02/04/71 
02/08/71 
02/11/71 
02/16/71 
02/22/71 
02/25/71 
03/04/71 
03/10/71 
03/15/71 
03/16/71 
03/22/71 
04/06/71 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



Loveridge i 

Somerset 

Howe #1 

Joanne 

Loveridge 

#3 (Kem) , 

Howe #1 

Lambert Fork 

Vesta #5 

#28 (Verdonville) , 

Gateway 

Moose Run , 

Williams 

Howe #1 , 

Maple Creek 

Lambert Fork 

Gateway , 

Otsego 

Lambert Fork 

do , 

#1 Cedar Grove , 

Blacksville #1 , 

Howe #1 , 

do , 

#1 Cedar Grove , 

St. Charles 

Maple Creek , 

Virginia Pocahontas #2. 

Williams 

Homer City 

do , 

L.S. Ward , 

Pyro #2 , 

Howe #1 , 

Homer City , 

#15 & 16 (Finley) , 



Howe #1 , 

Maitland , 

Kepler , 

Howe #1 , 

Dixiana 

Howe #1 , 

Robena. < 

Gateway , 

Olga , 

Howe #1 , 

do , 

Forge Slope , 

Virginia Pocahontas #4. 

Howe #1 , 

do , 



WV 
CO 
OK 
WV 
WV 
VA 
OK 
VA 
PA 
WV 
PA 
PA 
WV 
OK 
PA 
VA 
PA 
WV 
VA 
VA 
WV 
WV 
OK 
OK 
WV 
KY 
PA 
VA 
WV 
PA 
PA 
CO 
KY 
OK 
PA 
KY 

OK 

WV 

WV 

OK 

VA 

OK 

PA 

PA 

WV 

OK 

OK 

PA (A) 

VA 

OK 

OK 



0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
1-0 
2-0 
1-0 
2-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
2-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-1 
0-0 
0-0 
0-38 

0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
3-0 
2-0 
0-0 
0-0 



CM 

Elec. 

CM 

Expl. 

CM 

Elec. 

CM 

Elec. 

CM 

Elec. 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Smoking 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Smoking 

CM 

CM 

Expl. 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Elec. /Smoking 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Expl. 

Smoking 

CM 

CM 



34 



TABLE A-2. - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 — Continued 



Date Mine 

04/12/71 Howe #1 

04/13/71 do 

04/13/71 Nelms #2 

04/19/71 Vesta #5 

04/23/71 #1 Cedar Grove 

05/12/71 Dotiki 

05/14/71 Howe #1 

05/21/71 #3 Carbon Fuel 

05/21/71 Eagle #1 

05/22/71 #3 Carbon Fuel 

05/24/71 Eagle #1 

05/26/71 Howe #1 

05/27/71 Florence #2 

06/01/71 Howe #1 

06/05/71 Humphrey #7 

07/08/71 #3 Carbon Fuel 

07/16/71 Eagle #2 

08/03/71 Concord #1 

08/28/71 Eagle #1 

09/10/71 do 

09/17/71 do 

09/20/71 Nelms #2 

10/26/71 Gordon Creek #2 

11/23/71 Concord #1 

01/04/72 Itmann #3 

01/14/72 Compass #3 

02/23/72 Bishop 

02/29/72 Virginia Pocahontas #2. 

03/01/72 Kepler 

04/11/72 Virginia Pocahontas #3. 

04/19/72 #6 (Sue) 

04/24/72 Virginia Pocahontas #2. 

04/25/72 Virginia Pocahontas #3. 

05/01/72 Delmont 

05/20/72 Moss #2 

06/09/72 Nelms #2 

06/13/72 Concord #1 

06/15/72 Zeigler #9 

06/19/72 Itmann #3 

06/21/72 Concord #1 

07/17/72 Greenwich Colliery #1.. 

08/02/72 Virginia Pocahontas #3. 

08/07/72 Maple Creek #2 

08/16/72 Bishop 

09/28/72 Robinson Run #95 

10/11/72 Eagle #1 

11/10/72 Virginia Pocahontas #2. 

12/01/72 Robinson Run #95 

12/02/72 Virginia Pocahontas #1. 

12/05/72 Virginia Pocahontas #3. 

12/07/72 I Marianna #58 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



OK 
OK 
OH 
PA 
WV 
KY 
OK 
UT 
IL 
UT 
IL 
OK 
PA 
OK 
WV 
UT 
IL 
AL 
IL 
IL 
IL 
OH 
UT 
AL 

WV 
WV 
WV 
VA 
WV 
VA 
VA 
VA 
VA 
PA 
VA 
OH 
AL 
KY 
WV 
AL 
PA 
VA 
PA 
WV 
WV 
IL 
VA 
WV 
VA 
VA 
PA 



0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


c/w 


0-0 


Cut. 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


2-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


3-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


1-0 


Rock fall 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Cut. 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Cut. 


3-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


2-0 


Expl. 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Elec. 


0-0 


CM. 


16-0 


C/W 


2-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Cut. 


1-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


1-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Rock fall 


2-0 


Drill 



TABLE A-2. - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 — Continued 



35 



Date Mine 

12/14/72 Itmann #3 

12/26/72 Moss #2 

01/03/73 Virginia Pocahontas #2.. 

01/30/73 #3 Carbon Fuel 

02/28/73 Wabash 

03/10/73 Virginia Pocahontas #1.. 

04/04/73 Kepler 

04/16/73 Bird #3 

04/26/73 Eagle #1 

04/29/73 Lancashire #20 

05/10/73 Cambria Slope #33 

05/14/73 Itmann #3 

06/01/73 do 

06/08/73 Maple Creek #2 

07/18/73 #1 Cedar Grove 

08/13/73 Virginia Pocahontas #3., 

08/31/73 #33-37 (Bishop) 

09/11/73 Itmann #3 

09/18/73 Nelms #2 

09/19/73 #32 (Bethlehem) 

09/24/73 Gateway 

09/25/73 #4 (Oakwood Red Ash).... 

10/03/73 Eagle #1 

10/24/73 Beatrice 

10/29/73 Virginia Pocahontas #4., 

11/09/73 Virginia Pocahontas #2.. 

11/09/73 #1 Cedar Grove ;.. 

11/16/73 Itmann #3 

11/22/73 do 

11/16/73 Moss #2 

12/17/73 Virginia Pocahontas #4., 

01/09/74 Maitland 

01/09/74 Itmann #3 

01/10/74 #50 Pinnacle Creek 

01/11/74 Maitland 

01/14/74 Cambria Slope #33 

01/29/74 Virginia Pocahontas #4., 

02/04/74 Virginia Pocahontas #2.. 

02/05/74 Maitland 

02/05/74 Mulga 

02/11/74 Dehue 

02/12/74 Keystone #1 

02/15/74 Shannon Branch 

02/20/74 Dehue 

02/21/74 Maitland 

03/01/74 Beatrice 

03/01/74 Virginia Pocahontas #3.. 

03/04/74 Oak Park #7 

03/05/74 Blacksville #1 

04/01/74 Virginia Pocahontas #1.. 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



WV 
VA 

VA 
UT 
IL 
VA 
WV 
PA 
IL 
PA 
PA 
WV 
WV 
PA 
WV 
VA 
VA 
WV 
OH 
PA 
PA 
PA 
IL 
VA 
VA 
VA 
WV 
WV 
WV 
VA 
VA 

WV 
WV 
WV 
WV 
PA 
VA 
VA 
WV 
AL 
WV 
WV 
WV 
WV 
WV 
WV 
VA 
OH 
WV 
WV 



0-5 


Elec. 


1-0 


Rock fall 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/W 


2-0 


Drill 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Elec. 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


Expl. 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-2 


Elec. 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


1-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


? 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Elec. 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


1-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


1-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


1-0 


CM 



36 



TABLE A-2, - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 — Continued 



Date Mine 

04/08/74 Beech Fork , 

04/12/74 Keystone #1 , 

04/18/74 #36 (Bishop) , 

04/29/74 Oak Park #7 , 

05/06/74 Marion , 

05/08/74 Maitland , 

05/09/74 Itmann #2 , 

05/21/74 do , 

05/23/74 Beech Fork , 

05/23/74 Oak Park #7 , 

05/25/74 Loveridge , 

05/30/74 Oak Park #7 , 

05/31/74 #1 Cedar Grove , 

06/15/74 #50 Pinnacle Creek , 

06/18/74 Dehue , 

06/29/74 Wentz #1 , 

07/09/74 Marion , 

07/15/74 Bishop , 

07/19/74 Virginia Pocahontas #1., 

07/23/74 Beech Fork , 

08/08/74 Keystone #1 , 

08/09/74 Royal #5 , 

08/12/74 U.S. Pipe #3 , 

08/13/74 Meigs #2 , 

08/30/74 Virginia Pocahontas #4., 

09/09/74 #20 (Stirrat) , 

09/13/74 Virginia Pocahontas #4., 

09/16/74 do , 

09/18/74 Beech Fork , 

09/19/74 Kitt #1 , 

09/20/74 Bishop , 

09/24/74 Kitt #1 , 

10/07/74 U.S. Pipe #3 , 

10/15/74 #50 Pinnacle Creek , 

10/22/74 Beatrice , 

10/25/74 #32 (Bethlehem) , 

10/29/74 Concord #1 , 

11/06/74 U.S. Pipe #3 

01/06/75 Beckley , 

01/10/75 Maitland , 

01/14/75 Nelms #2 , 

01/24/75 Itmann #3 

01/28/75 Bird #3 , 

02/03/75 Keystone #5 

02/05/75 Bear Creek #4 , 

02/12/75 Beatrice , 

02/13/75 Royal #5 

02/18/75 Deer Creek #0255 

02/20/75 Concord #1 

02/25/75 Somerset #60 

02/27/75 Mulga 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



WV 
WV 
WV 
OH 
PA 
WV 
WV 
WV 
WV 
OH 
WV 
OH 
WV 
WV 
WV 
VA 
PA 
WV 
VA 
WV 
WV 
WV 
AL 
OH 
VA 
WV 
VA 
VA 
WV 
WV 
WV 
WV 
AL 
WV 
VA 
PA 
AL 
AL 

WV 
WV 
OH 
WV 
PA 
WV 
CO 
VA 
WV 
UT 
AL 
PA 
AL 



0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-0 

0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 



CM 

c/w 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

ONF 

CM 

CM 

C/W 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

C/W 

CM 

Expl. 

CM 

C/W 

CM 

CM 

CM 

C/W 

CM 

C/W 

CM 

CM 

Elec. 

CM 

Cut. 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Expl. 

CM 

CM 

Elec. 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Cut. 

Elec. 

CM 



TABLE A-2. - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 — Continued 



37 



Date 



Mine 



03/06/75 U.S. Pipe #3 

03/08/75 Bear Creek #4 

03/10/75 Dutch Creek #2 

03/15/75 Mulga 

03/15/75 Virginia Pocahontas #3, 

03/25/75 Virginia Pocahontas #5, 

04/04/75 U.S. Pipe #3 

04/28/75 Mulga 

04/28/75 McElroy 

04/30/75 Osage #3 

05/08/75 U.S. Pipe #3 

05/09/75 do 

05/15/75 #51 Bethlehem 

05/23/75 Osage #3 

05/30/75 Dutch Creek #2 

06/02/75 Cambria Slope #33 

06/04/75 Virginia Pocahontas #4. 

06/05/75 Virginia Pocahontas #5. 

06/06/75 Itmann #3 

06/14/75 Osage #3 

06/16/75 do 

06/19/75 Maple Meadow 

06/20/75 Itmann #3 

06/20/75 Dehue 

07/24/75 Itmann #3 

07/29/75 Beatrice 

08/01/75 Jewel 18 (Lower Jewel). 

08/02/75 Virginia Pocahontas #4. 

08/04/75 Virginia Pocahontas #1, 

08/05/75 U.S. Pipe #3 

08/07/75 Beckley 

08/11/75 U.S. Pipe #3 

08/20/75 do 

09/15/75 Lancashire #20 

09/22/75 Beatrice 

09/23/75 Dehue 

10/13/75 Royal #5 

10/15/75 Ireland 

10/21/75 Beatrice 

10/23/75 #5 (Island Creek) 

10/24/75 Beatrice 

10/31/75 Bessie 

11/12/75 Beckley #1 

11/18/75 Dutch Creek #1 

11/20/75 Itmann #3 

12/05/75 #3 Carbon Fuel 

12/12/75 Virginia Pocahontas #4. 

12/12/75 Beckley #1 

12/15/75 Beatrice 

12/16/75 Vesta #5 , 

12/16/75 Hamilton #1 , 

12/19/75 Olga 

12/30/75 U.S. Pipe #4 , 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



AL 
CO 
CO 
AL 
VA 
VA 
AL 
AL 
WV 
WO 
AL 
AL 
PA 
WV 
CO 
PA 
VA 
VA 
WV 
WV 
WV 
WV 
WV 
WV 
WV 
VA 
VA 
VA 
VA 
AL 
WV 
AL 
AL 
PA 
VA 
WV 
WV 
WV 
VA 
VA 
VA 
AL 
WV 
CO 
WV 
UT 
VA 
WV 
VA 
PA 
KY 
WV 
AL 



0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Rock fall 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Elec. 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Elec. 


2-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Expl, 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


1-0 


Expl. 


1-0 


CM 


0-0 


Elec. 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


1-0 


Expl. 


0-0 


Rock fall 


0-0 


OFR 



38 



TABLE A-2, - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 — Continued 



Date 



Mine 



01/06/76 Lucerne #6 

01/08/76 Vesta #5 , 

01/14/76 Robinson Run #95 

02/06/76 Hamilton #1 , 

02/10/76 #4 (Wolf Creek) , 

02/17/76 do , 

02/18/76 Keystone #1 , 

02/20/76 U.S. Pipe #3 

02/26/76 Virginia Pocahontas #4 , 

^11 11 lib Keystone #1 

0VQ2n(> Robinson Run #95 , 

03/03/76 Lancashire #20 , 

03/06/76 do , 

03/09/76 do , 

03/09/76 Scotia , 

03/09/76 do , 

03/11/76 Deer Creek , 

03/15/76 Beckley , 

03/16/76 Consol #20 , 

03/16/76 #1 (Kermit) , 

03/17/76 Bishop , 

03/18/76 Lucerne #6 , 

04/02/76 #3 Carbon Fuel , 

04/07/76 Maitland. , 

04/15/76 Beech Fork , 

04/21/76 #3 Carbon Fuel , 

04/23/76 Maple Meadows , 

04/23/76 Federal #2 , 

04/27/76 Consol #20 , 

04/30/76 Jensie , 

05/04/76 #108 (Bethlehem) , 

05/05/76 #36 (Bishop) , 

05/05/76 Maitland , 

05/13/76 Beckley , 

05/,13/76 Mulga , 

05/18/76 #3 (J. Walter) , 

05/25/76 #108 (Bethlehem) , 

05/26/76 Loveridge 

06/01/76 Moss #2 , 

06/02/76 Gateway , 

06/08/76 Ireland , 

06/09/76 Moss #2 , 

06/16/76 Beckley #1 , 

06/24/76 McElroy , 

06/29/76 Lady Dunn #105 , 

07/13/76 Moss #2 , 

07/14/76 Cambria Slope #33 , 

07/21/76 Beckley #1 , 

07/24/76 Federal #1 , 

07/24/76 Flat Top Water Pumping Shaft. 

07/30/76 Braztah #5 , 

08/16/76 #36 (Bishop) , 

08/23/76 Urline #1 , 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



PA 
PA 
WV 
KY 
KY 
KY 
WV 
AL 
VA 
WV 
WV 
PA 
PA 
PA 
KY 
KY 
UT 
WV 
WV 
WV 
WV 
PA 
UT 
WV 
WV 
UT 
WV 
WV 
WV 
OH 
WV 
WV 
WV 
WV 
AL 
AL 
WV 
WV 
VA 
PA 
WV 
VA 
WV 
WV 
WV 
VA 
PA 
WV 
WV 
WV 
UT 
WV 
PA 



0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


1-0 


CM 


1-0 


CM 


0-0 


Cut 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


c/w 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Elec. 


0-0 


Rock fall 


0-0 


Elec. 


0-15 


? 


0-11 


1 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


1-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


Elec. 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


2-0 


C/W 


2-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


ONF 


1-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/W 



TABLE A-2. - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 — Continued 



39 



Date Mine 

08/23/76 #58 Pinnacle Creek 

08/27/76 Kitt #1 

09/13/76 Oak Park #7 

09/16/76 do 

09/25/76 Beatrice 

09/29/76 Maitland 

09/30/76 Braztah #5 

10/07/76 Maple Meadows 

10/08/76 Oak Grove 

10/11/76 Braztah #3 

10/11/76 #50 Pinnacle Creek 

10/20/76 #6 Blue Boy 

10/21/76 Braztah #5 

11/02/76 Chancy Creek #2 

11/03/76 Moss #2 

11/06/76 Beckley 

11/16/76 Beckley #1 

11/30/76 Virginia Pocahontas.... 

12/02/76 Maple Meadows 

12/06/76 Humphrey #7 

12/07/76 Virginia Pocahontas... , 

12/07/76 McElroy 

12/09/76 Oak Grove 

12/13/76 Moss #2 

12/16/76 do 

12/16/76 Emerald #1 

12/18/76 Virginia Pocahontas #5. 

12/28/76 Gaston #2 

01/03/77 Consol #20 

01/06/77 Cambria Slope #33 

01/12/77 Braztah #3 

03/04/77 Moss #2 

02/08/77 Keystone #1 

02/14/77 Nelms #2 

02/22/77 Virginia Pocahontas #5. 

02/23/77 North River #1 

03/09/77 Raccoon #3 

03/16/77 Meigs #2 

03/17/77 #4 (J. Walter) 

03/18/77 Braztah #3 

03/18/77 Valley Camp #12A 

03/23/77 Sunnyside #3 

04/08/77 Virginia Pocahontas #4. 

04/10/77 Vesta #5 

04/11/77 Cambria Slope #33 

04/12/77 Beatrice 

04/18/77 #2 (Ron) 

04/21/77 Virginia Pocahontas #2. 

04/27/77 #7 (J. Walter) 

04/28/77 Blacksville #2 

04/29/77 Virginia Pocahontas.... 

04/30/77 Loveridge 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



"c7w 
c/w 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

LW 

CM 

CM 

LW 

CM 

Drill 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Drill 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Drill 

CM 

CM 

C/W 

CM 

CM 

CM 

LW 

LW 

CM 

Elec. 

CM 

C/W 

CM 

Drill 

Drill 

CM 

LW 

Elec. 

CM 

CM 

LW 

CM 

C/W 

C/W 

C/W 

Elec. 

C/W 

CM 



WV 
WV 
OH 
OH 
VA 
WV 
UT 
WV 
AL 
UT 
WV 
WV 
UT 
VA 
VA 
WV 
WV 
VA 
WV 
WV 
VA 
WV 
AL 
VA 
VA 
PA 
VA 
WV 

WV 
PA 
UT 
VA 
WV 
OH 
VA 
AL 
OH 
OH 
AL 
UT 
WV 
UT 
VA 
PA 
PA 
VA 
WV 
VA 
AL 
WV 
VA 
WV 



0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 

0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
1-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 



40 



TABLE A-2. - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 — Continued 



Date 



Mine 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



05/05/77 
05/06/77 
05/11/77 
05/16/77 
05/18/77 
05/23/77 
05/26/77 
05/30/77 
05/31/77 
06/06/77 
06/07/77 
06/09/77 
06/22/77 
07/07/77 
07/15/77 
08/25/77 
08/26/77 
08/26/77 
09/19/77 
09/21/77 
09/21/77 
09/23/77 
09/27/77 
09/30/77 
10/11/77 
10/11/77 
10/26/77 
10/27/77 
10/28/77 
10/31/77 
10/31/77 
11/02/77 
11/07/77 
11/08/77 
11/09/77 
11/09/77 
11/14/77 
11/21/77 

03/29/78 
03/29/78 
04/04/78 
04/12/78 
04/13/78 
04/17/78 
04/20/78 
04/25/78 
04/26/78 
05/03/78 
05/05/78 
05/06/78 
05/10/78 



#3 (J. Walter) , 

Beckley < 

#3 (J. Walter) , 

Moss #2 

Beckley #1 , 

Powhattan #6 

Virginia Pocahontas #4, 

National Poca 

Robinson Run #95 

Virginia Pocahontas #4, 

Braztah #3 

#4 (Oakwood Red Ash).., 

do 

#2 (P&P) , 

#1 (Terry Glen) , 

//12A , 

Maitland , 

#236 (Amigo) , 

Bishop 

Cambria Slope #33 

Maitland , 

Lick Run 

Sugarloaf #2 

Beech Fork 

Cumberland 

do 

Moss #2 

Cumberland 

Bishop 

Keystone #2 

do 

Robinson Run #95 

Braztah #5 

Jensie 

Keystone #5 

Sunnyslde #3 

#3 (J. Walter) 

Lucerne #6 



Virginia Pocahontas.... 

Consol #20 , 

Beatrice 

Greenwich Colliery #2.. 

Cambria Slope #33 , 

Loveridge 

Consol #20 

do , 

Oak Grove 

Consol #20 

#4 (J. Walter) 

#3 (J. Walter) 

Virginia Pocahontas #5. 



AL 
WV 
AL 
VA 
WV 
OH 
VA 
WV 
WV 
VA 
UT 
VA 
VA 
VA 
KY 
VA 
WV 
WV 
WV 
PA 
WV 
WV 
AR 
WV 
PA 
PA 
VA 
PA 
WV 
WV 
WV 
WV 
UT 
OH 
WV 
UT 
AL 
PA 

VA 
WV 
VA 
PA 
PA 
WV 
WV 
WV 
AL 
WV 
AL 
AL 
VA 



0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


c/w 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/w 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-4 


Smoking 


5-0 


Smoking 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Expl. 


0-0 


Expl. 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


1-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 



TABLE A-2. - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 — Continued 



41 



Date Mine 

05/18/78 Seaboard #2 , 

05/25/78 Loveridge , 

05/30/78 Maple Meadows 

06/01/78 Emerald #1 , 

06/06/78 #3 (J. Walter) 

06/07/78 Consol #20 

06/12/78 Lucerne #6 

06/14/78 Loveridge 

06/ 14/78 Cumberland 

06/16/78 Lick Rum 

06/19/78 Emerald #1 

07/10/78 #3 (J. Walter) 

07/11/78 Greenwich Colliery #2... 

07/12/78 Cambria Slope #33 

08/14/78 Lancashire #20 

08/16/78 Cumberland 

08/22/78 Keystone #2 

08/25/78 Maple Meadows 

08/29/78 #4 (J. Walter) 

09/01/78 #3 (J. Walter) 

09/06/78 Oak Grove 

09/12/78 #3 (J. Walter) 

09/13/78 do 

09/18/78 National Pocahontas 

09/20/78 #3 (J. Walter) 

09/21/78 Beckley 

09/28/78 Federal #2 

10/11/78 do 

10/12/78 Moss #2 

10/26/78 National Pocahontas 

1 1/03/78 Gateway 

11/13/78 Emerald #1 

11/15/78 Sewall #1A 

11/15/78 Consol #20 

11/16/78 Moss #2 

11/21/78 Loveridge 

11/27/78 Humphrey #7 

11/27/78 Thompson Creek 

11/28/78 #36 (Bishop) 

12/07/78 #4 Vein Slope 

12/12/78 Consol #20 

12/12/78 do 

12/13/78 Cumberland 

12/19/78 Mars #2 

12/19/78 Moss #2 

1/08/79 Beckley 

01/10/79 #3 (J. Walter) 

01/12/79 Itmann #3 

01/18/79 #13 (O&G) 

01/22/79 Cumberland 

01/23/79 #3 (J. Walter) - 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



VA 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


Drill 


PA 


0-0 


Drill 


AL 


0-0 


Drill 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


C/W 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


AL 


0-0 


Drill 


PA 


0-0 


C/W 


PA 


0-0 


LW 


PA 


0-0 


C/W 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


Expl. 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


AL 


0-0 


Drill 


AL 


0-0 


CM 


AL 


0-0 


CM 


AL 


0-0 


CM 


AL 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


AL 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


Drill 


WV 


0-0 


C/W 


VA 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


Elec. 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


VA 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


Expl. 


CO 


2-0 


CNF 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


PA (A) 


3-0 


OFR 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


? 


VA 


0-0 


CM 


WV 


0-0 


Drill 


AL 


0-0 


Elec. 


WV 


0-0 


CM 


VA 


4-0 


Expl. 


PA 


0-0 


CM 


AL 


0-0 


CM 



42 



TABLE A-2. - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 — Continued 



Date 



Mine 



01/24/79 
01/26/79 
02/01/19 
02/07/79 
02/28/79 
03/06/79 
03/09/79 
03/13/79 
03/15/79 
03/16/79 
03/19/79 
03/19/79 
03/21/79 
03/23/79 
03/28/79 
03/28/79 
03/30/79 
04/04/79 
04/05/79 
04/06/79 
04/10/79 
04/10/79 
04/12/79 
04/12/79 
04/16/79 
04/19/79 
04/20/79 
04/20/79 
04/25/79 
04/25/79 
04/26/79 
04/26/79 
04/27/79 
04/29/79 
05/02/79 
05/09/79 
05/10/79 
05/15/79 
05/15/79 
05/15/79 
05/16/79 
05/18/79 
05/29/79 
05/29/79 
05/31/79 
06/04/79 
06/04/79 
06/06/79 
06/12/79 
06/12/79 
06/14/79 
06/19/79 



#3 (J. Walter).... 

do 

Braztah #3 

#7 (J. Walter).... 

Loveridge 

Emerald #1 

Itmann )'/3 

Braztah #3 

#3 (J. Walter).... 

Moss #2 

Loveridge 

Nebo. 

King #5 

Valley Camp #15-A. 

Braztah #3... 

Emerald #1 

Valley Camp #3.... 

Moss #2 

King #5 

Braztah #3 , 

#3 (J. Walter).... 

Braztah #3 , 

#3 (J. Walter).... 

Braztah #3 , 

Keystone #1 

Maple Meadows . . . . . 

Arkwright #1 , 

Braztah #3 , 

Cambria Slope #33, 
Maple Creek #2..., 

Braztah #3 , 

Consol #20 , 

#3 (J. Walter)..., 

Sunnyside #1 

King #5 , 

Beckley. . • 

Braztah #3 , 

Soldier Canyon. . . , 

Homer City 

Oak Grove 

do 

Maple Meadows..... 

Braztah #3 

Beckley #1 , 

Homer City 

Braztah #3 , 

Oak Grove 

do 

Braztah #3 

Consol #20 

#3 (J. Walter) 

Braztah #3 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



AL 
AL 
UT 
AL 
WV 
PA 
WV 
UT 
AL 
VA 
WV 
AL 
UT 
WV 
UT 
PA 
WV 
VA 
UT 
UT 
AL 
UT 
AL 
UT 
WV 
WV 
WV 
UT 
PA 
PA 
UT 
WV 
AL 
UT 
UT 
WV 
UT 
UT 
PA 
AL 
AL 
WV 
UT 
WV 
PA 
UT 
AL 
AL 
UT 
WV 
AL 
UT 



0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Expl. 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Elec. 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM. 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Elec. 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


LW 



43 



TABLE A-2. - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 — Continued 



Date 



Mine 



06/25/79 
01/02/19 
07/11/79 
07/11/79 
07/18/79 
07/19/79 
07/20/79 
07/30/79 
08/02/79 
08/03/79 
08/09/79 
08/10/79 
08/16/79 
08/20/79 
08/21/79 
08/29/79 
08/31/79 
09/18/79 
09/19/79 
09/19/79 
09/25/79 
09/26/79 
10/08/79 
10/08/79 
10/09/79 
10/10/79 
10/11/79 
10/11/79 
10/12/79 
10/15/79 
10/24/79 
10/25/79 
10/26/79 
10/30/79 
10/30/79 
11/05/79 
11/13/79 
11/14/79 
11/14/79 
11/19/79 
11/18/79 
11/28/79 
11/28/79 
11/30/79 
12/06/79 
12/06/79 
12/19/79 
12/19/79 
12/26/79 
12/28/79 
12/31/79 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



Federal #2 

King #5 

Oak Grove 

King #5 

Chancy Creek #2..., 
Cambria Slope #33. . 

Braztah #3.. 

Homer City 

#5 (J. Walter) 

Braztah #3 

Lucerne #6 

Dutch Creek #2 

Itmann #2 

#50 Pinnacle Creek. 
King #4 



.do. 



#4 (J. Walter).. 

Emerald #1 

Itmann #3 

Beckley #1 

do 

Maple Creek #2., 
Maple Creek #2.. 

Emerald #1 , 

Loveridge 

Emerald #1 

do 

#3 (J. Walter).. 

Emerald #1 

do 

Humphrey #7...., 

Deer Creek , 

Emerald #1 , 

do 

#3 (J. Walter).. 
#7 (J. Walter).. 

King #5 

Emerald #1 , 

do 

Itmann #3 , 

Consol #20 , 

Oak Grove 

Loveridge , 

Federal #2 , 

Hawks Nest East. 

King #5 , 

Homer City , 

Humphrey #7...., 

East Gulf , 

#7 (J. Walter)., 
Vesta #5 , 



WV 
UT 
AL 
UT 
VA 
PA 
UT 
PA 
AL 
UT 
PA 
CO 
WV 
WV 
UT 
UT 
AL 
PA 
WV 
WV 
WV 
PA 
PA 
PA 
WV 
PA 
PA 
AL 
PA 
PA 
WV 
UT 
PA 
PA 
AL 
AL 
UT 
PA 
PA 
WV 
WV 
AL 
WV 
WV 
CO 
UT 
PA 
WV 
WV 
AL 
PA 



0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
2-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
3-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 



c/w 

CM 
CM 
CM 
CM 
LW 
CM 
CM 

c/w 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Drill 

C/W 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Expl. 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Drill 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Drill 

CM 

CM 

CM 

CM 

Drill 

Drill 



44 



TABLE A-2. - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 — Continued 



Date 



Mine 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



01/04/80 Bessie 

01/15/80 #3 (J. Walter) , 

01/16/80 do 

01/21/80 do 

01/22/80 York Canyon 

01/22/80 do 

01/24/80 Price River #3 , 

01/29/80 Beckley 

01/29/80 #3 (J. Walter) , 

01/29/80 #7 (J. Walter) 

02/02/80 do , 

02/03/80 do 

02/05/80 Emerald #1 , 

02/05/80 Federal #2 , 

02/07/80 #33 (Bishop) 

02/08/80 North River #1 , 

02/13/80 Maple Creek #2 , 

02/19/80 Bessie 

02/22/80 Osage #3 , 

02/27/80 Thompson Creek #1...., 

02/28/80 #5 (J. Walter) , 

02/29/80 Price River #3 , 

03/03/80 #5 (J. Walter) 

03/04/80 #7 (J. Walter) , 

03/05/80 Greenwich Colliery #2. 

03/05/80 #3 (J. Walter) 

03/07/80 Oak Grove 

03/17/80 Bonny 

03/17/80 #3 (J. Walter) 

03/19/80 Beckley #1 

03/19/80 do 

03/19/80 #7 (J. Walter) 

03/20/80 #3 (J. Walter) 

03/20/80 Dehue 

03/21/80 Beckley 

03/21/80 in (J. Walter) 

03/24/80 Bessie 

03/25/80 Greenwich Colliery.... 

03/27/80 Greenwich Colliery #2. 

03/28/80 Keystone #2 , 

04/07/80 #7 (J. Walter) , 

04/08/80 Price River #3 , 

04/09/80 Thompson Creek #1...., 

04/11/80 #36 (Bishop) , 

04/14/80 #7 (J. Walter) , 

04/22/80 Mulga 

04/24/80 #7 (J. Walter) 

04/26/80 Emerald #1 , 

04/28/80 Price River #3 , 

04/28/80 #3 (J. Walter) , 

04/29/80 Bonny , 

05/01/80 #3 (J. Walter) 



AL 
AL 
AL 
AL 
NM 
NM 
UT 
WV 
AL 
AL 
AL 
AL 
PA 
WV 
WV 
AL 
PA 
AL 
WV 
CO 
AL 
UT 
AL 
AL 
PA 
AL 
AL 
WV 
AL 
WV 
WV 
AL 
AL 
WV 
WV 
AL 
AL 
PA 
PA 
WV 
AL 
UT 
CO 
WV 
AL 
AL 
AL 
PA 
UT 
AL 
WV 
AL 



0-0 


Expl. 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


2-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


c/w 


0-0 


c/w 


0-0 


c/w 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


2-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


C/w 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Cut. 


1-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


LW 



TABLE A-2. - Ignitions and explosions, 1969-80 — Continued 



45 



Date Mine 

05/09/80 #3 (J. Walter) 

05/19/80 #7 (J. Walter) 

05/29/80 Price River #3 

06/04/80 King #5 

06/05/80 Eagle #2 

06/07/80 Beckley #2 

06/10/80 #3 (J. Walter) 

06/16/80 do 

06/17/80 do 

06/23/80 Beckley #1 

06/24/80 Dents Run 

06/25/80 Cumberland 

07/14/80 Beckley #2 

07/15/80 #5 (J. Walter) 

07/21/80 #7 (J. Walter) 

07/29/80 Osage #3 

07/31/80 #3 (J. Walter) 

08/07/80 do 

08/19/80 Cambria Slope #33 

08/20/80 Emerald #1 

08/21/80 Arkwright #1 

08/21/80 Price River #3 

08/22/80 do 

09/03/80 do 

09/05/80 #3 (J. Walter) 

09/08/80 North River #1 

09/20/80 #4 (J. Walter) 

10/01/80 #3 (J. Walter) 

10/08/80 Beckley #1 

10/08/80 #4 (J. Walter) 

10/16/80 Beckley #2 

11/03/80 #50 Pinnacle Creek 

11/06/80 #3 (J. Walter) 

11/10/80 Beckley #2 

11/14/80 #5 (J. Walter) 

11/14/80 #3 (J. Walter) 

11/14/80 #4 (J. Walter) 

11/17/80 #50 Pinnacle Creek 

11/18/80 Price River #5 

11/26/80 L. S. Wood #3 

12/03/80 #4 (J. Walter) 

12/08/80 Dutch Creek #2 

12/15/80 Bessie 

12/17/80 Dents Run 

12/22/80 #4 (J. Walter) 

12/19/80 Beckley #2 

12/31/80 Emerald #1 



State 



I-F 



Cause 



AL 
AL 
UT 
UT 
XL 
WV 
AL 
AL 
AL 
WV 
WV 
PA 
WV 
AL 
AL 
WV 
AL 
AL 
PA 
PA 
WV 
UT 
UT 
UT 
AL 
AL 
AL 
AL 
WV 
AL 
WV 
WV 
AL 
WV 
AL 
AL 
AL 
WV 
UT 
CO 
AL 
CO 
AL 
WV 
AL 
WV 
PA 



0-0 


LW 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/W 


1-0 


C/W 


0-0 


LW 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Elec. 


0-0 


Drill 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


Cut. 


0-0 


C/W 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 


0-0 


CM 



46 



TABLE A-3. - Ignitions and explosions classified by cause, 1959-68 





1959 


1960 


1961 


1962 


1963 


1964 


1965 


1966 


1967 


1968 


Frictional: 

Continuous miner 

Cutter 


4 
3 

1 


3 
3 


8 

1 


5X 
2 

1 
2 


15X 
2 

1 


16 
6 

1 

1 


21 

1 


11 
3 

1 


15 
2 

3X 


16 
1 


Longwall 

Drill 




Rock fall 




Other 


— 


Total 


8 


6 


9 


10 


18 


24 


22 


15 


20X 


17 






Nonf rictional: 

Electrical 


8 
1 

1 
1 

4 


7 

1 
1 

3 


8X 

2 
3 

1 
5X 


9X 
3 

3 
1 


IIX 
3 
1 

1 

1 
3 


10 
3 
2 
2 

1 


10 

1 
3 

2 

1 


9X 
3X 

2 

1 


7X 

3 
4X 

IX 


2 


Explosive. ••••••••*•*•• 


3 


Cutting and/or welding. 


2 
2 


Defective flame safety 

lamp 

Other 


1 
1 




15 


12 


18 


16 

1 


20 

1 


18 


17 


14 


13X 


11 


Not classified 


1 


Grand total 


23 


18 


27 


26 


38 


42 


39 


29 


32 


29 



TABLE A-4. - Summary of injuries by cause, 1959-68 





1959 


1960 


1961 


1962 


1963 


1964 


1965 


1966 


1967 


1968 


Frictional: 

Continuous miner 

Cutter 


1 


3 


18 


2 
2 


14X 
1 


11 
1 


17 


17 
4 


27 
2X 


16 


Longwall 

Drill 


- 


Rock fall 




Other 


— 


Total 


1 


3 


18 


4 


15 


12 


17 


21 


29X 


16 






Nonf rictional: 

Electrical 


7 
1 

2 

3 


2 
3 


8 

2 
3 

3 
2 


9 
3 

6 


15X 
3 

2 

2 
3 


6 
8 
3 
4 


13 

3 
3 


lOX 
5X 

4 

1 


16 

4 
5X 

2X 


2 


Exolosive. ••••••••••••• 


5 


Cutting and/or welding. 

Smoking 

Defective flame safety 

lamp 

Other 


1 
4 

3 


Total 


13 


5 


18 


18 


25 


21 


19 


16 


25 


15 


Not classified 




Grand total 


14 


8 


36 


22 


39 


33 


36 


37 


52 


31 



TABLE A-5. - Summary of fatalities by cause, 1959-68 



47 





1959 


1960 


1961 


1962 


1963 


1964 


1965 


1966 


1967 


1968 


Frictional: 

Continuous miner 

Cutter. ••■• ••••• 


- 


- 


1 


37X 

2 


9X 


- 


- 


- 


2 


1 


Lonffwall. ••«•■«■«■««■«• 


_ 


Drill 


_ 


Rock fall 


_ 


Other 


- 


Total. '. ... 


- 


- 


1 


39X 


9X 


- 


- 


- 


2 


1 






Nonfrictional: 

Electrical 


9 

1 


2 
2 


24X 

1 
23X 


50X 


35X 

1 


3 
3 

7 


14 
5 


10 


lOX 
4X 




Exnlosive. ............. 


9 


Cutting and/or welding. 


2 


Defective flame safety 
lamp .................. 




Other 


— 




10 


4 


26 


50X 


36X 


6 


26 


10 


10 


11 


Not classified 


78 


Grand total 


10 


4 


27 


52 


36 


6 


26 


10 


12 


90 



TABLE A-6. - Ignitions and explosions classified by cause, 1969-80 





1969 


1970 


1971 


1972 


1973 


1974 


1975 


1976 


1977 


1978 


1979 


1980 


Frictional: 

Continuous miner 

Cutter 


19 
4 


37 

1 


31 
3 

1 


20 

1 

1 
2 


22 

1 


44 

1 


49 

1 

2 
2 

1 


58 

1 
4 
3 

1 


36 

7 
3 


37 

2 
8 

1 


74 

13 
10 


61 
2 


Loncfwall .............. 


11 


Drill 


7 


Rock fall 




Other 


— 


Total 


23 


38 


35 


24 


23 


45 


55 


67 


46 


48 


97 


81 






Nonfrictional: 

Electrical. 


5 
2 
1 

1 

1 


7 

4X 
2 
2 

1 
IX 


IX 
1 
1 
2X 


2 
1 
2 


2 

1 
3 


2 

1 
7 

1 


5 
4 
3 


3 
8 

2 


3 
2 
8 
2 


1 
2 

5 

1 


3 
3 
6 


1 


Explosive. .•••...••... 


1 


Cutting and/or welding 
Smoking ............... 


16 


Defective flame safety 
lamp ................. 




Other 


— 


Total 


10 


16 


4 


5 


6 


11 

1 


12 


13 
2 


15 


9 


12 


18 


Not classified 




Grand total 


33 


54 


39 


29 


29 


57 


67 


82 


62 


58 


109 


99 



48 



TABLE A-7. - Summary of injuries by cause, 1969-80 





1969 


1970 


1971 


1972 


1973 


1974 


1975 


1976 


1977 


1978 


1979 


1980 


Frictional: 

Continuous miner 

Cutter 


9 


13 


6 

1 


4 

2 

1 


1 
2 


4 


4 


7 


- 


1 
3 


2 


6 


Longwall 

Drill 


- 


Rock fall 




Other 


— 


Total 


9 


13 


7 


7 


3 


4 


4 


7 


- 


4 


2 


6 






Nonf rictional: 

Electrical 


14 
4 

2 

1 


2 

5X 
2 
2 

4 
3X 


3 
2 


2 
19 


- 


2 


2 


2 


1 

5 


2 


7 




Exolosive* •••••••••••• 




Cutting and/or welding 

Smoking 

Defective flame safety 
lamp 


1 


Total 


21 


15 


5 


21 




2 


2 


2 


6 


2 


7 


1 


Not classified 






30 


28 


12 


28 


3 


6 


6 


9 


6 


6 


9 


1 



TABLE A-8. - Summary of fatalities by cause, 1969-80 





1969 


1970 


1971 


1972 


1973 


1974 


1975 


1976 


1977 


1978 


1979 


1980 


Frictional: 

Continuous miner 

Cutter 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


Loncwall. ••••••>••>•>• 




Drill 




Rock fall 




Other 


— 


Total * 


- 


1 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


- 


, 






Nonf rictional: 

Electrical 


1 


1 
38 

1 


- 


5 


2 


; 


; 


1 


4 


- 


- 




Explosive. •••<•••••••• 


_ 


Cutting and/or welding 

Smoking 

Defective flame safety 

lanq) 

Other 


- 


Total 


1 


40 




5 


2 






1 
26 


4 






^ 


Not classified 


. 


Grand total 


1 


41 


- 


5 


2 


- 


- 


27 


4 


- 


- 


- 



TABLE A-9. - Frictional and/or methane Ignitions in surface 
facilities, 1959-79 



49 



Date 



Mine 



Location 



Nature of ignition 



1959 



Fatal 

or 

injured 



07/24 



08/12 



Dekoven raw coal 
tunnel. 



Champion #1 fine 
coal dryer. 



Dekoven, KY. 



McDonald, PA.. 



Methane from raw coal in hopper ig- 
nited by filament of broken light 
bulb. 

Broken hydraulic line fed vaporized 
hydraulic fluid into high tempera- 
ture of dryer. 



2 F 
I 



F 

1 I 



1960 



02/01 


Central coal 


Stirrate, VW.. 


Dust in suspension at loading ramp 


F 




preparation 




ignited by flame from oil drum 


1 I 




plant. 




heater. 





1961 



08/02 



Joanne coal 
thermal dryer. 



Rachel, WV.... 



Sparks from dryer furnace or fric- 
tional heat from iron in screw 
conveyor ignited methane. 



F 

1 I 









1962 




02/05 


Federal #1 


Grant Town, WV 


Thermal dryer overheated for lack 


F 




thermal dryer. 




of water; ignited methane. 


I 


03/08 


•••••do********* 


• ••••GO* •••••• 


Excessive heat ignited coal dust in 
furnace, cyclone, or connecting 
duct work. 


F 

1 I 


03/19 


•••••OOa •••••••• 


• • • • vGO^ •••••• 


do 


F 
I 


03/23 


• • • • • GO ••■•■•••• 


• • • • • GO ••••••• 


do 


F 
I 


03/28 


Nelms #2 coal 


Hopedale, OH.. 


Methane-coal dust ignited while 


F 




storage silo. 




cutting hole in discharge chute 
atop silo. 


1 I 


05/07 


Federal #1 


Grant Town, WV 


Dust in suspension in dry coal con- 


F 




thermal dryer. 




veyor ignited by sparks from fire 
in combustion chamber. 


I 


10/26 


No. 6 thermal 


Winifrede, WV. 


Hot clinkers ignited dried coal 


F 




dryer. 




near furnace door; coal dust igni- 
tion followed. 


4 I 


11/01 


Kopperston 


Kopperston, WV 


Dust in suspension blown into fire 


F 




thermal dryer. 




in bottom of combustion chamber. 


I 


12/05 


Red Wing prepa- 


Axial, CO 


Frictional heat from teeth of 


F 




ration plant. 




sprocket sheaving off ignited dust 
in suspension. 


I 



50 



TABLE A-9. - Frictional and/or methane ignitions in surface 
facilities, 1959-79 — Continued 



I 



Date 




Nature of ignition 



Fatal 

or 

injured 



1963 



10/11 



Moss #3 prepara- 
tion plant. 



South Clinch- 
field, VA. 



Coal dust swept from top of furnace 
ignited by hot stack emitting 
sparks. 



F 
I 



03/18 
08/08 



1964 



02/03 


Compass #3 ther- 


Dola, WV 


Dust in suspension ignited by hot 


F 




mal dryer. 




flyash induced into dryer by ex- 
haust fan. 


I 


03/15 


Maidon #3 ther- 


Newton and 


Flame from furnace blown through 


F 




mal dryer. 


Poland Mines, 
PA. 


coal feed conveyor. 


I 


06/17 


Saxsewell ther- 


Richwood, WV.. 


Dust ignited by smoldering coal in 


1 F 




mal dryer. 




dryer. 


3 I 


11/11 


Mine #22 thermal 


Deane, KY 


Dust in dryer ignited by hot mate- 


F 




dryer. 




rial conveyed by the louvre pans. 


I 


12/31 


Thermal dryer. . . 


Corbin, KY.... 


Attempted to relight furnace in an 
explosive mixture of propane and 
coal dust. 


F 
4 I 



1965 



King preparation 
plant. 

Moss #3 prepara- 
tion plant. 



Hiawatha. UT.. 



South Clinch- 
field, VA. 



Coal dust dispersed during cleanup 
operations ignited by welder. 

Coal dust in suspension ignited 
during a severe wind storm by a 
"blow back" from furnace. 



F 

1 I 

F 

I 



1966 



09/16 



No. lA Strip.. 



Shinnston, WV. 



Natural gas pipeline ruptured and 
ignited during blasting 
operations. 



1 F 
I 









1968 




01/22 


Loveridge ther- 


Fairview, WV.. 


Hot coals, discharged from cyclone 


F 




mal dryer. 




dust collector, ignited fine coal 
dust. 


2 I 


05/17 


Nos. 7 and 8 


Standardville, 


Coal chute fell after being cut by 


F 




preparation 


UT. 


torch, resulting in dust ignited 


1 




plant. 




by torch. 




08/15 


Orient #5 raw 


Benton, XL.... 


Making repairs to belt feeder, 


4 F 




coal tunnel. 




methane-air mixture ignited by 
torch. 


I 


10/31 


Thermal dryer. . » 


Biggs, KY 


Dust ignited by burning coal parti- 
cles in dryer. 


F 

1 I 



TABLE A-9. - Frictional and/or methane ignitions in surface 
facilities, 1959-79 — Continued 



51 



Date 



Mine 



Location 



Nature of ignition 



Fatal 
or 
injured 



1969 



02/06 



05/14 



07/29 



Robinson Run #95 
thermal dryer. 



Federal #2 pump- 
house building. 



Consol y/9 sur- 
face building. 



Lumberport, WV 



Micacle Run, 
WV. 



Farmington, WJ 



Dust ignited when fan pulled hot 
material into exhaust dusts and 
cyclones. 

Gas from borehole collected in 
building and ignited by electrical 
arc. 

Gas from sealed shaft leaked into 
building and ignited by electrical 
arc. 



F 
I 



F 
I 



F 
I 



1970 



02/06 



02/14 



Guyan #1 prepa- 
ration plant. 



Humphrey #7 
preparation 
plant. 



Amherstdale, 
WV. 



Maidsville, WV 



Lighted torch placed on acetylene 
tank, flame heated oxygen cylinder 
and it exploded. 



Coal dust ignited by torch. 



1 F 

2 I 



F 

1 I 









1971 




04/20 


Jenkinj ones 


Jenkinj ones, 


Dust ignited by smoldering coal or 


F 




thermal dryer. 


WV. 


sparks present in cyclones or duct 
work. 


4 I 


07/12 


Inland prepara- 


Jefferson 


Coal dust in froth tank ignited by 


F 




tion plant. 


County, XL. 


torch. 


1 I 









1974 




06/08 


Splashdam #2 
Strip. 


Haysi, VA 


Lightning set off one hole of blast 


F 

1 X 


08/14 


Smith & Rogos 


Brandy Camp, 


Oil on inner surface of oxygen reg- 


1 F 




Strip. 


PA. 


ulator ignited when oxygen valve 
was opened. 


X 


10/19 


Captain Shop. . . . 


Cutler, XL.... 


Explosive vapors from inner liner 
and underlying materials of truck 
tire ignited while welding rim. 


1 F 
X 


10/30 


Bee Hive surface 


Drang eville. 


Overlying soil and rock caused roof 


F 




gallery belt 


UT. 


to collapse; broken light bulb 


I 




structure. 




ignited dust. 





1975 



09/22 



McKinley prepa- 
ration plant. 




Cut off exhaust hood; when it fell 
it resulted in dust cloud being 
ignited by torch. 



F 
2 X 



52 



TABLE A-9. - Frictional and/or methane ignitions in surface 
facilities, 1959-79 — Continued 



Date 



Mine 



Location 



Nature of ignition 



Fatal 
or 
injured 



1976 



07/12 

10/12 
11/09 
11/11 



No, 131 prepara- 
tion plant. 



.do, 



Wharton #4 Shop. 



Preparation 
Plant #1. 



Van, WV. 



.do, 



Wharton, WV... 
Mavisdale, VA. 



Oxygen regulator exploded, probably 
due to back charge of acetylene or 
other combustibles. 

Pump running "on air;" steam pres- 
sure caused pump to burst. 

Oxygen regulator exploded, probably 
due to back charge of acetylene. 

Methane accumulation in wellhouse 
ignited by electrical arc. 



F 
I 



F 

I 

F 

1 I 

F 

1 I 









1977 




01/18 


Bottom Creek #2 
pumphou-se. 


Keystone, WV.. 


Methane liberated at top of well; 
ignited by smoking. 


F 
6 I 


03/01 


Welch #1 Shop... 


Welch, OK 


Horseplay; homemade bomb exploded 
in victim's hand. 


F 

1 I 


05/05 


Revloc Mine #32 
Shaft. 


Revloc, PA.... 


Torch slag ignited methane in 
shaft; victim struck by dislodged 
I-beam. 


1 F 
I 


06/01 


Robinson Run #95 


Lumberport, WV 


Methane from borehole ignited by 
electric arc from impact wrench. 


F 

1 I 


06/10 


Lancashire #25 
clean coal 
storage silo. 


Baker ton, PA.. 


Torch used to enlarge chute opening 
while coal was discharging into 
silo; dust ignited. 


F 
3 I 


07/29 


Florence #2 


Huff, PA 


Welding at borehole being drilled 
igniting methane. 


F 
I 


09/29 


Jenkinj ones 
thermal dryer. 


Jenkinj ones, 
WV. 


High temperature in drying com- 
partment ignited coal dust in 
suspension. 


F 
I 


10/31 


• • ■ • •GO* •••••••• 


• • • • •do* •••••• 


Explosive mixture of oil and coal 
ignited, throwing coal dust into 
suspension. 


F 
I 


12/04 


No. 51 prepara- 
tion plant. 


Ellsworth, PA. 


Boiler exploded owing to deteriora- 
tion of supporting stays between 
firebox and wrapper sheet. 


F 
I 


12/06 


Revloc Mine #33. 


Revloc, PA.... 


Short in shielded 2,300-volt cable 
to submersible pump ignited meth- 
ane at borehole. 


F 
I 



53 



TABLE A-9. - Frictional and/or methane ignitions in surface 
facilities, 1959-79— Continued 



Date 



Mine 



Location 



Nature of ignition 



Fatal 
or 
injured 



1978 



05/12 


No. 50 clean 


Pineville, WV. 


Hot or burning material from ther- 


F 




coal silo. 




mal dryer discharged into silo; 
dust in suspension ignited. 


I 


06/13 


Jenkinj ones 


Jenkinj ones , 


Fine coal spilled or bedplates 


F 




thermal dryer. 


WV. 


ignited by spark from combustion 
chamber during startup. 


I 


06/22 


Absaloka 


Hardin, MT.... 


Propane torch left in tub of drag- 
line; torch went out and propane 
gas accumulation was ignited by 
another torch. 


F 

1 I 


07/31 


Black Mesa #1 


Keyenta, AZ . . . 


Truckload of coal inadvertently 


F 




storage bin. 




dumped into bin while working with 
torch. 


2 I 


09/17 


Itmann #3 fan 


Itmann, WV.... 


Gas in shaft ignited by slag from 


F 




shaft. 




cutting operations. 


I 









1979 




01/02 


Black Thunder 


Gillette, WY. . 


Hot coals from fire in storage 


F 




preparation 




shed ignited dust within loadout 


I 




plant. 




facilities. 




02/19 


Jenkinj ones 


Jenkinj ones , 


Atomized fuel oil being fed into 


F 




thermal dryer. 


WV. 


furnace ignited by heat from 
burner. 


I 


03/29 


Valley Camp #41 


Shrews burg, WV 


Batteries charged with covers 


F 




battery- 




closed; hydrogen gas ignited by 


I 




charging 




unknown source. 






station. 









♦U.S. GOVERNTffiNT PRINTING OFFICE : 1983 0-396-320/442 



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